Cardiovascular / Heart Links

Methodist Hospital / Houston
The Methodist Hospital’s Department of Cardiology is world-renowned in cardiovascular care and research and has been recognized for its contributions to advances in the practice of cardiology. Consistently ranked in the Top 20 of US News and World Reports, The Methodist Hospital has significant contributions to changing the way that Cardiology is practiced

The Methodist DeBakey Heart Center
Located in Houston, Texas, the Methodist DeBakey Heart Center combines research, prevention, diagnostic care, surgery and rehabilitation services in a coordinated multi-disciplinary program with one focus: delivering compassionate, effective care and treatment to patients with heart disease. Patient care teams provide the full range of cardiac care, ensuring high-quality care and satisfaction to those served.

The Center for Research in Cardiovascular Interventions
The Center for Research in Cardiovascular Interventions (CRCI) at the Methodist Hospital Research Institute is a multifaceted, highly specialized group focused on research in interventional cardiology. It was founded by Albert E. Raizner, MD, and is supported by a group of physician scientists including Greg L. Kaluza, MD, PhD, scientific director of the CRCI; Brian Walton, MD, Juan F. Granada, MD; and Eli Lev, MD.

American Heart Association:
The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Heart Disease

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHBLI) of the federal National Institutes of Health - sponsors " The Heart Truth" campaign, which features the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease. Call 301-592-8573 to order copies of campaign materials (available in English and Spanish). View materials online (PDF).
The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women Heart
The Heart Truth for Women Brochure
The Heart Truth Women Brochure (Spanish version)
The Heart Truth for Women: An Action Plan
When Delicious Meets Nutritious: Recipes for Heart Health
The Heart Truth for Women: If You Have Heart Disease
The Heart Truth for African-American Women: An Action Plan
The Heart Truth for Latinas: An Action Plan
The Heart Truth for Latinas: An Action Plan
Questions To Ask Your Doctor/What's Your Risk?

HeartCenterOnline - click on the Patients icon to read information and news about heart disease, risk factors, treatments, and patients' stories. You can also sign up for their free weekly E-mail newsletter devoted to heart disease and treatments.

Heartmates - an organization offering online support to spouses and family members of people with heart disease. It's geared more for wives of men with heart disease but still offers good advice, videos on recovery, and a helpful book, Heartmates: A Guide for the Spouse and Family of the Heart Patient.

Heart Information Network - offers comprehensive information on heart disease. Especially helpful are its Q&A Library and Glossary , which explains medical jargon.

Heart Point - offers a Gallery of animated illustrations of various heart conditions.

Heart Related Professional Organizations

American College of Cardiology
Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
American Society of Hypertension
Heart Failure Society of America
Heart Rhythm Society
Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions

MDChoice.com: Cholesterol Center
Sponsored by AstraZeneca, this site provides insight from some of the top opinion leaders in the country.  "In the Hot Topics" section, Robert S. Rosenson, ( Director, Preventive Cardiology Center; Division of Cardiology and Department of Medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine) discusses the need for LDL particle measurements in patients with metabolic syndrome. 

Heart Related Public Organizations

American Heart Association
American Stroke Association
Adult Congenital Heart Association

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute:
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provides leadership for a national program in diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lung, and blood; blood resources; and sleep disorders. Since October 1997, the NHLBI has also had administrative responsibility for the NIH Woman's Health Initiative.

The Institute plans, conducts, fosters, and supports an integrated and coordinated program of basic research, clinical investigations and trials, observational studies, and demonstration and education projects. Research is related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases; and sleep disorders. The NHLBI plans and directs research in development and evaluation of interventions and devices related to prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients suffering from such diseases and disorders. It also supports research on clinical use of blood and all aspects of the management of blood resources. Research is conducted in the Institute's own laboratories and by scientific institutions and individuals supported by research grants and contracts.

American Medical Association:
The vision reflects a shared desire by the Board of Trustees and Senior Management that the AMA approach the new millennium with renewed vigor based on a solid understanding of purpose, values, and envisioned future.

American College of Cardiology:
By joining the College, physicians, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and physician assistants show peers and patients their commitment to provide optimal cardiovascular care. But ACC membership brings more than recognition, it also brings exclusive benefits and services designed specifically for cardiologists and the cardiac care team, including advocacy, education and easy access to timely, sought-after information.

Other Medical Conditions and Diseases

Many of you are suffering from heart disease as well as other medical conditions. Here are some Web sites and toll-free numbers for you to obtain helpful information:

American Cancer Society (800-ACS-2345)
American Diabetes Association (800-DIABETES)
American Lung Association (800-LUNG-USA)
American Obesity Association (800-98-OBESE)
National Breast Cancer Coalition (800-622-2838)

Medical Information

SeeMyHeart.org - the American Society of Echocardiography created SeeMyHeart to help patients find information about echocardiograms, what they are, what they do and who does them.

InteliHealth - the Johns Hopkins Medical Center offers a free daily E-mail subscriber newsletter, InteliHealthConnect, as well as Heart Health a weekly E-mail newsletter that is devoted to news about heart disease and its treatments. Also offers in-depth information about heart disease and other medical conditions, and an Ask the Doc feature allows you to pose a question to a physician.

MedLine - the National Library of Medicine's database of more than nine million abstracts of medical journal articles. MedLine allows you to search PubMed for medical-based abstracts and articles about women and heart disease once a search is done for Women and Heart Disease. Also check out MEDLINEplus which offers consumer-oriented health information about women and heart disease.

Healthy Eating

American Dietetic Association - provides information and recipes for well-balanced and healthy meals.

Choose to Lose - Choose to Lose offers great programs and award-winning books for low-fat, low cholesterol meal planning and cooking:
Choose to Lose: A Food Lover's Guide to Permanent Weight Loss
and Eater's Choice: A Food Lover's Guide to Lower Cholesterol
Monthly magazines - sites that provide valuable health information and low-fat recipes.

Prevention
Health
Cooking Light
Vegetarian Times
Weight Watchers - commercial weight loss program. Click on the Meetings icon, and you can locate the meetings held nearest you. You can also subscribe to its monthly magazine.
eDiets & CyberDiet - commercial online weight loss programs individualized to your needs.

Fitness and Wellness

Shape Up America! - consumer friendly site that offers helpful tips and programs for managing your weight and healthy eating. Offers a CyberKitchen through which you can plan healthy meals and a Fitness Center to help you get more physically active.

Take Pounds Off Sensibly (T.O.P.S.) - there are over 11,000 non-profit TOPS weight loss support groups across the country, some of which feature walking programs. To locate a group near you, check the Chapter Locator icon on its Web site or call toll-free 800-932-8677. Also, since each TOPS group responds to the age and scheduling needs of its members, ask for the phone number of your regional Coordinator. Call her to find a group that reflects your age, needs, and location.

50-Plus Fitness Association - California-based international organization offers information about fitness and sponsors fitness events in local communities.

Spa Finders - (toll free telephone 800-255-7727) a reservation and information source for 220 represented fitness and therapeutic spas.

Nutrition Data Analyzer - NutritionData (ND) provides a complete nutrient analysis for any food or recipe, and helps you select foods that best match your dietary needs.