At Alderfer & Travis Cardiology, we believe it’s vital to provide you with the most advanced, effective cardiology care available. We also think it’s just as important to help you avoid developing cardiovascular problems in the first place, and to minimize any problems you may already have. Here are some tips on how to reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease:

--Exercise. A regular program of moderate exercise can lower your body fat, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol levels as well as reduce stress.
--Find ways to reduce stress. High stress levels over long periods can increase your risk of heart disease.
--If you have diabetes, have your cardiovascular health monitored. Diabetes can increase your risk of heart disease. If you have diabetes, it's especially important to undergo screening tests for heart disease.
--Be aware of other risk factors. Your risk of developing cardiovascular disease is higher if you're a man, as you get older, and if your parents or siblings have ever had heart disease. If you have any of these risk factors, it’s especially important that you work closely with your doctor to monitor the health of your heart.

Check out our Heart Care Library

Heart Disease Resources on the World Wide Web

An enormous amount of heart related information is available on the World Wide Web. The following links are provided as a resource for additional research on the heart and other heart related topics available on the Internet.

Heart Disease Resources

American Heart Association
"Fighting Heart Disease and Stroke"

The Franklin Institute Science Museum
Information about the structure of the heart, heart health, the history of heart science, etc.

Heart Information Network
Information for patients with heart disease and about decreasing the risk of heart disease.

HeartPoint Homepage
Created by medical professionals to provide patients with credible information about heart disease.

Department of Pediatrics-Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital
The Pediatric Cardiology Section cares for children and adults with heart problems that start in childhood.

The Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes Foundation  Information from the SADS Foundation.

National Stroke Association  “Reducing the incidence and impact of stroke”

Angioplasty PTCA Home Page   “The most popular angioplasty site on the web”

Federal Agencies

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
The NHLBI leads a national program in research and educational activities relating to heart, blood vessel, lung and blood diseases.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention Information from the nation's prevention agency.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)  NIH Homepage.

Nutrition and Exercise

http://www.deliciousdecisions.org
This American Heart Association (AHA) web site has nutrition recommendations and guidelines, recipes, information about how to be a smart shopper, and tips for eating healthfully while dining out. You can also learn about the AHA "Step by Step" diet plans.

http://www.justmove.com
This American Heart Association (AHA) fitness site lets you record your exercise goals in an exercise diary, keep up to date with the latest fitness news, evaluate your current fitness level, and search their national fitness database.

Women and Heart Disease

http://www.4women.gov
The National Women's Health Information Center Web site has a heart-health assessment quiz and a heart attack FAQ (frequently asked questions) section, as well as articles about cholesterol and heart disease; physical activity and heart disease; and cardiovascular disease in Hispanic women. This site also has several Spanish-language articles.

http://www.womenheart.org
Information > Women & Heart Disease
Sign up for their free weekly heart health newsletter, look up statistics on women and heart disease, learn about treatments for heart disease, and view an online exploration of the heart.

http://www.women.americanheart.org
This American Heart Association (AHA) Web site is primarily for women who want to learn about heart disease and stroke. The site has information about specific heart conditions and support groups, personal stories from women whose lives have been touched by heart disease, and tips on how moms and kids can get heart healthy together.

Other Resources

American Diabetes Association's Web Site
Nonprofit health organization dedicated to the prevention and cure of diabetes.

The Mended Hearts, Inc.
Offering help, support, and encouragement to heart disease patients and their families.

Drug InfoNet
Look up information about prescription or over-the-counter medications.

Updated July 2001