Home - Heart

"Heart Disease...it's the leading cause of death in the United States"

But many risk factors contributing to heart disease can be controlled. Things like diet, exercise, smoking and stress are all important factors in the prevention of heart disease-factors you can do something about. Indeed, with heart disease, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Pain Is No Gain

At the first signs of chest pains or heart discomfort, the staff at Vista Health encourage you to call 9-1-1 and get to the hospital immediately. The independent emergency medicine physicians on our staff will help determine from examination (vital signs, blood pressure, lab work, EKG) and medical history the proper course of treatment. The sooner the blood flow is resumed, the less heart muscle damage occurs.

Early detection prior to an event such as a heart attack can mean the difference between full recovery and death. The independent physicians on our medical staff use sophisticated tests to detect even minor abnormalities of the heart. We have performed thousands of cardiovascular tests and procedures and have access to the latest and most advanced technology needed to combat heart disease.

Heart Attack

Don’t Ignore the Symptoms! Heart attacks can be sudden and intense; however, most heart attacks start slowly with mild pain and discomfort. Far too often people with symptoms wait too long before getting help. Review the following signs that could indicate a heart attack is happening so you know when to call for help.

Chest discomfort located in the center of the chest that lasts for a few minutes or comes and goes. It may feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body, such as one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
Shortness of breath that often comes with the chest pain but may occur before the chest pain
Breaking out in a cold sweat
Nausea
Lightheadedness

Blood Pressure

High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may have it and not know it. That’s why Vista Health offers free blood pressure screenings throughout northern Lake County each month – to help identify high blood pressure so those with it can get treated before too much damage is done.

Normal blood pressure readings are less than 140 over 90. Numbers equal to or greater than 140 over 90 cause the heart to work harder and can contribute to stroke.

Have your blood pressure checked at least once a year. Print this convenient sheet to record your blood pressure readings on. Take the sheet along to your doctor’s office when you have your annual exam and discuss your blood pressure along with other concerns you may have.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease You Can Change

Smoking
Physical inactivity
High blood cholesterol
High blood pressure
Overweight

Take control now and reduce your risk for heart disease.

Stroke

Most people think having a stroke is a concern for the elderly. Think again! Nearly 30 percent of stroke victims are under 65 years old.

Stroke, also known as a “brain attack”, occurs when a blood vessel bringing oxygen to the brain bursts or is clogged by a clot. It is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability for adults. However, new treatments, many available at Vista Health, can greatly reduce the damage caused by stroke when symptoms are recognized early.

Warning Signs

If you or someone you know experiences one or more of these signs or symptoms, call 911 or your local emergency system immediately:

Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Risk Factors

Be aware of your risks and be prepared. Controllable stroke risk factors include: