Ask Your Doctor These Questions About Heart Disease

By Jane Farrell

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. If you’re concerned about your risk, the experts at the National Institute on Aging suggest asking your doctor and nurse these questions:

1.What is my risk for heart disease?

2.What is my blood pressure?

3.What are my cholesterol numbers? (These include total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.)

4.What are my body mass index (BMI) and waist measurement? Do they mean that I may need to lose weight for my health? [Editor’s note: for a BMI calculator from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, click here. ]

5.What is my blood sugar level, and does it mean that I’m at risk for diabetes?

6.What other screening tests do I need to help protect my heart?

7. What can help me quit smoking?

8.How much physical activity do I need to help protect my heart?

9.What’s a heart-healthy eating plan for me?

10.How can I tell if I’m having a heart attack? If I think I’m having one, what should I do?

If you are told you are at increased risk or already have a heart problem, be sure to ask what you can do to stay healthy. Learn more about heart health on the National Institute on Aging website.