Talking with your health provider

Talking with your health provider

Be engaged in your own care. Here are some questions to ask to get the conversation started. Download the full list of questions here.

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 General Questions

  1. What is my risk for heart disease given my personal risk factors?

  2. Are tests needed at this time to check my risk of heart disease? If so, what are these tests? How often should these tests be done?

  3. How often should these tests be done?

  4. What are my values or results from these tests? (like blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, weight)

  5. How do my values/results compare to what is considered normal?

  6. Are there any lifestyle changes that will help me lower my risk of heart disease?

  7. Should I be taking medication to lower my risk for heart disease?

  8. What support is available to help me achieve my goals?

Diabetes

  1. What is the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test and what is my value?

  2. What is my fasting blood glucose?

  3. How often should I have my HbA1c and fasting blood glucose tested?

  4. Am I at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes? Are there any lifestyle changes that will help me control my risk?

  5. How does having diabetes increase my risk for future heart disease?

Smoking

  1. How does smoking increase my risk for heart disease?

  2. What resources are available to help me quit smoking?

  3. What are the biggest steps I can take to increase my chances of success?

  4. What are the withdrawal symptoms of quitting and how can I manage them?

  5. What medications are available to help me quit and what are their side effects

High Blood Pressure

  1. What is my blood pressure and what do my numbers mean?

  2. What should my blood pressure be?

  3. How often should my blood pressure be checked?

  4. Should I use a home blood pressure monitor?

  5. Are there any lifestyle changes that will help me control my blood pressure? Will I need to take blood pressure medication?

Cholesterol

  1. What are my cholesterol values and what do they mean?

  2. What is a healthy cholesterol value for me?

  3. How often do I need to get my cholesterol checked?

  4. What puts me at risk for high cholesterol?

  5. Are there any lifestyle changes or medications available to help me control or lower my cholesterol?

Pregnancy

  1. Will my complications during pregnancy put me at increased risk for future heart disease?

  2. Are there any lifestyle changes that will help me lower my risk for future heart disease?

  3. Are tests needed at this time to check my risk for future heart disease? If so, what are these tests?

  4. How often should these tests be done if I had a preterm delivery, high blood pressure during pregnancy or gestational diabetes?

  5. What are my numbers for my A1C (blood sugar test), blood pressure, and cholesterol?

 Autoimmune Disease

  1. What is my individual risk for heart disease given I have rheumatoid arthritis and/or lupus?

  2. Are tests needed at this time to determine my risk for heart disease? If so, what are these tests?

  3. How often should these tests be done?

  4. What are my individual values or results from these tests? What does this mean for me?

  5. Are there any lifestyle changes that will help me reduce my risk of heart disease and improve my rheumatoid arthritis and/or lupus?

Cancer

  1. Does this cancer treatment put me at increased risk for heart disease? If it does, what signs and symptoms should I watch for?

  2. What testing should be done during my cancer treatment to test for heart disease?

  3. What testing should be done when I am done my cancer treatment to test for heart disease?

  4. How often should these tests be done?

  5. What are my individual results? What does this mean for me?

Depression

  1. What is my risk for heart disease given I have depression?

  2. Are there any lifestyle changes that will help control my depression and lower my risk for heart disease?

  3. If lifestyle changes are not enough, what medications are available? What are their side effects?

  4. Are tests needed at this time to help me determine my risk for heart disease? If so, what are these tests? How often should these tests be done?

  5. What are my values or results from these tests? What does this mean for me?

Heart Disease Across a Woman's Lifetime

  1. What is my risk for heart disease given my personal risk factors?

  2. Are there any lifestyle changes that will help me lower my risk of heart disease?

  3. What support is available to help me achieve my goals?

  4. Are tests needed at this time to check my risk for heart disease? If so, what are these tests? How often should these tests be done?

  5. What are my individual values or results from these tests? It is important to be an advocate for your own health so make sure you know your numbers and what they mean.

 

 

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