As part of a holistic approach to treating chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease, our team of registered nurses, physicians and our Certified Diabetes Educators assist patients in developing treatment plans and goals.  A team member is always available to assist our patients with questions about their health.

Cardiovascular Disease Overview

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability.  Almost 700,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. each year.  That is about 29% of all U.S. deaths. Heart disease is a term that includes several more specific heart conditions.  The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack.

The risk of coronary heart disease can be reduced by taking steps to prevent and control those adverse factors that put people at greater risk for heart disease and heart attack.  Additionally, knowing the signs and symptoms of heart attack, calling 911 right away, and getting to a hospital are crucial to the most positive outcomes after having a heart attack. People who have had a heart attack can also work to reduce their risk of future events.

Heart Attack Symptoms

The National Heart Attack Alert Program notes these major symptoms of a heart attack:

• Chest discomfort Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body This can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

• Shortness of breath This often comes along with chest discomfort.  But it also can occur before chest discomfort.

• Other symptoms These may include breaking out in a cold sweat or feeling nausea or light–headedness.

If you think that you or someone you know is having a heart attack, you should call 9–1–1 immediately.

Learn more about how to prevent heart disease and heart attack and to act in time.  Ask your health care provider about heart healthy lifestyles and heart attack warning signs on your next visit.

This is information excerpted from the Centers for Disease Control.

Cardiovascular Health Talk to your health care provider on your next visit about the following healthy heart topics: • Lowering Your Cholesterol • Managing Your Weight • Eating Healthier • Exercise & Fitness • Stopping Smoking  • Heart Attack Prevention & Warning Signs

More Info American Heart Association (English and Spanish) Centers for Disease Control: Heart Disease Publications About Heart Disease  Heart Attack Signs (English)  Síntomas de un Ataque al Corazón (Spanish)  Heart Disease Fact Sheet (Khmer)

A depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts.  It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things.  A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood.  It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away.  People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression.

The first step to getting appropriate treatment for depression is a physical examination by a physician.  Certain medications as well as some medical conditions such as a viral infection can cause the same symptoms as depression, and the physician should rule out these possibilities through examination, interview, and lab tests.  If a physical cause for the depression is ruled out, a psychological evaluation should be done, by the physician or by referral to a psychiatrist, social worker.

Symptoms of depression vary.  Not everyone who is depressed experiences every symptom.  Some people experience a few symptoms, some many.  Severity of symptoms varies with individuals and also varies over time.  Common

 symptoms of depression include:

More Info National Mental Health Association National Institute of Mental Health Substance Abuse & Mental Health  Services Administration Publications About Depression  Stories of Depression(English)  Historias personales sobre la depresión(Spanish)  Making Sense of Depression (Khmer)  Depression Self-Assessment

• Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
• Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
• Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
• Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
• Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
• Restlessness, irritability
• Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

This is information excerpted from the National Institute of Mental Health.