General Health Information

The FDA's "Heart Health Online"

This Web site gives you reliable information about the products used to prevent, diagnose, and treat cardiovascular disease. It includes full descriptions and patient instructions for many medications, medical devices, and diagnostic tests for cardiovascular disease.

Mayo Clinic Disease Index

Comprehensive guides on hundreds of conditions.

American Heart Association

Make heart-healthy changes to your diet. The American Heart Association's Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations provide an easy way for you to understand what you should eat and how much physical activity you need to maintain good health.

Cardiovascular Media Library, AHA

Here you can view captioned illustrations and animations of conditions, treatments and procedures related to heart disease.

"8 Steps to Preventing Heart Disease"

1. If you smoke, stop.
2. Load up on heart-friendly foods.
3. Get moving.
4. Monitor your cholesterol.
5. Watch your weight.
6. If you drink, take it easy.
7. Keep your blood pressure under control.
8. If you're under too much stress or feeling depressed, seek out help from a psychologist or therapist.

BMI, what is it?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a calculated number based on your height and weight. BMI is an indicator of body fat; it is not a direct measure however it correlates with direct body fat measurements. BMI is used as a screening tool to help identify weight problems.

Adult BMI                   Weight Status
Below 18.5                  Underweight
18.5 - 24.9                  Normal
25.0 - 29.9                  Overweight
30.0 and above           Obese

Adult BMI calculator

Child and Teen BMI calculator

Blood Pressure, what do all those numbers mean?

A typical blood pressure (BP) reading is written as some number over another number: 120/80. The top number is called the systolic number and is a measure of the pressure in your heart when it is pumping blood.  The bottom number is called the diastolic number and is a measure of the pressure in your heart at rest.

Normal                        Below 120/80
Pre-Hypertensive        Above 120/80
Hypertensive               140/90 and above

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a reading of 140/90 or above.  Hypertension directly increases the rate of coronary disease, putting you at a greater risk for a heart attack or stroke. In fact, hypertension is the number 1 modifiable risk factor for a stroke. If you are pre-hypertensive or hypertensive, you should speak to your doctor about treatment options ways to lower your BP.

AHA's High Blood Pressure Site