There has never been a more important time to take control of your heart health. February is American Heart Month, a chance to raise awareness about heart disease but also a chance for you to start making healthy changes—and choices—to reduce your risk of heart disease or manage a chronic condition, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prevention
No matter your age, heredity factors or existing health conditions may put you at risk for heart disease. At Kaiser Permanente, we have systems and care teams in place to proactively manage your care by:
- Performing routine blood pressure checks during any visit for care (e.g., allergist, optometrist)— that’s why Kaiser Permanente is #2 in the nation for controlling blood pressure. The next closest health care provider in the region is ranked at #103.1
- Developing treatment plans based on your family history and individualized risk profile using your electronic health record, which connects your entire care team. They can see your medications, test results, and visit notes to come up with a plan that works best for you.
- Assessing and treating your condition with stress tests, labs, and imaging.
- Providing wellness coaching and classes to help you make heart-healthy lifestyle changes including eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, avoiding smoking, reducing stress, and maintaining a healthy weight.
You can also email your doctor for health concerns or questions, contact our advice line, or quickly set up a video or phone appointment to resolve any questions or symptoms as quickly as possible.
Chronic condition management
If you’ve already been diagnosed with a heart condition or have suffered a heart attack, you’re in the right place. Your care is coordinated among your primary care physician, specialists, and your entire care team, who work with you to help you manage your condition. We make it easier for you by supporting you with:
- Remote heart monitoring using innovative technology
- Personalized medical advice available 24/7
- Same-day procedures that get you back on your feet sooner
- Alerts for heart failure triggers, such as spikes in blood pressure
Kaiser Permanente observes American Heart Month in February with new and innovative ways to prevent, detect, and treat the disease—but we have your best interest at heart all year long.
Show your heart some love and learn more:
Almost 80% of Heart Attacks are Preventable: Follow These Tips to Keep Your Heart Healthy
Women and Heart Disease: Knowledge and Prevention is Vital
Skipping heartbeat: nuisance or danger?
Life After a Heart Attack: How to Focus on Healthy Habits
1The source for data contained in this publication is Quality Compass 2020 Commercial data and is used with the permission of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Quality Compass 2020 includes certain CAHPS data. Any data display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion based on these data is solely that of the authors, and NCQA specifically disclaims responsibility for any such display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion. Quality Compass is a registered trademark of NCQA. CAHPS is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Official plan name per Quality Compass: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States.
