Prevention for Patients and Families

Calculate your risk for heart disease using this online resource or ask your primary care provider to calculate your risk.

Let your physician know about other factors that increase your risk:

• Family history of early heart disease (males age <55; females age <65)
• Primary hypercholesterolemia (very high cholesterol – LDL (bad) cholesterol >160 mg/dl)
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic inflammatory conditions (e.g., psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or HIV/AIDS)
• High-risk race/ethnicity (e.g., South Asian ancestry)
• History of premature menopause (age <40)
• History of pregnancy conditions (e.g., preeclampsia) that increase your risk for later heart disease.

There are several lifestyle modifications you can make to lower your risk for cardiovascular disease! Check out the infographic at the top of this web page and discuss your risk factors with your primary care physician.

Take our Color Your Plate Challenge and enjoy at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day!

If you are at high risk for heart disease, consider a visit to a preventive cardiologist.

 Preventive cardiology services include:

• A comprehensive cardiovascular examination and evaluation of cardiac risk factors
• Advanced blood tests with results provided during your appointment
• Lipid management, including statin intolerance
• Nutrition assessment and recommendations
• Cardiac imaging (HeartScan) – access to a special scan that can detect deposits in the heart’s arteries before symptoms are present
• Opportunity for participation in clinical trials of new therapies

MHIF has a long history of groundbreaking research and education across a wide spectrum of prevention-related topics, including coronary artery calcium testing, blood pressure, cholesterol and statin use, nutrition and lifestyle behaviors, risk factors and screening for specific populations, premature heart disease and congenital heart disorders. MHIF researchers also led Hearts Beat Back: The Heart of New Ulm Project, a 10-year transformative population health research project in rural New Ulm, Minnesota, that resulted in significant improvements for heart disease risk factors in the community. Learn more about the project here.

Every year, exciting breakthroughs and discoveries stem from our research. These important findings advance medical knowledge, improving the health and lives of millions of people worldwide. By participating in research, you:

• Take a more active role in your own health care.
• May gain access to investigational treatments and medications.
• Help find new and better ways to treat people with your condition.

Every research study comes with its own unique risks and benefits; the study team will ensure you’re provided with all the information you need to decide if participating is right for you.

View research studies here.