Mick’s Picks:
Cardiovascular Disease

• American Dietetic Association (ADA)
  On this web site can be found resources for both consumer and professionals targeting various audiences such as older adults, children, ethnic groups, persons with diabetes and more.
• American Heart Association
  The American Heart Association maintains this web site which provides research-based news, fact sheets, and numerous resources for professionals and consumers on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
  • AHA Journals – Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, Circulation, Circulation Research, Hypertension and Stroke.
  • Cholesterol Low Down – A free program to encourage understanding of the risk for cardiovascular disease and how cholesterol can be managed. As part of the program you receive a brochure, AHA’s To Your Health publication newsletter and AHA’s Low Fat, Low Cholesterol Cookbook.
  • Choose To Move – Choose To Move is a physical activity program for busy women. The program focuses on turning daily tasks into physically active events and creating more energy to handle daily demands. This is a free, 12-week program.
  • Delicious Decisions - Fighting Heart Disease and Stroke – This web site contains recipes for food that is both delicious and nutritious.
  • Heart Attack, Stroke and Cardiac Arrest Warning Signs – Part of the “Act In Time” campaign by the AHA and NHLBI to increase people’s awareness of heart attack and the importance of calling 911 at the onset of symptoms, this site reviews heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest warning signs.
  • The Heart of Diabetes – A free program is to learn about the connection between cardiovascular disease, diabetes and insulin resistance. As part of the program, you receive: a brochure, journal, and 12 months subscription to Diabetes Positive magazine.
  • Our Dietary Recommendations – On this site you'll find the latest advice of AHA medical and nutrition experts on the best way to help lower your blood cholesterol level.
  • Sample Recipes From AHA Cookbooks – This site contains recipes from AHA Cookbooks.
• American Stroke Association, a Division of American Heart Association
  The American Stroke Association offers a wide array of programs, products and services, from patient education materials to scientific statements. The most-current information for healthcare professionals and Stroke Connection Magazine is found here.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Cardiovascular Health Program
  About Cardiovascular Disease, CDC’s Cardiovascular Health Program, State Programs, Statistics, Health Maps, Publications, Projects and Resources.
• Cleveland Clinic Heart Center
  Vascular guide, prevention, tests and procedures, your heart and blood vessels, medications, support groups and links.
  • Exercise, “Too Little of a Good Thing”
    The benefit of aerobic exercise, especially for those with heart disease can improve fitness, mood, help with stress management, cholesterol levels, and even certain cancer risks.
  • Nutrition Strategies – Click on a topic, such as 35 Power Foods, Convenience Foods: Grocery Guide, Sample Menu, and Recipes are just a few.
  • Your heart and blood vessels – Where is your heart and what does it look like, pictures and facts on the heart.
• Family and Consumer Sciences – Texas AgriLife Extension Service
  This web site contains information, links and resources about nutrition throughout the lifecycle, consumer food and nutrition news, food safety, 4-H, nutrition related to medical conditions, food resource management, and special food programs.
  • Diet and Lifestyle: The Primary Prevention of Heart Disease in Women – Steps to follow for a healthier, happier heart.

For Children

• Cardiac Disease in Children Statistics
  Statistics of children born with heart disease, others develop acquired heart disease, related AHA publications, and many links to other resources.
• Children: Heart Disease and Health
  Two types of heart disease- congenital and acquired- as well as common diagnostic tests are included.
• HeartPower! Online – Lesson Ideas and Activities
  Lesson ideas and activities by grade, curriculum, message or material, in English and Spanish are here.
• Just for Kids
  Facts About Heart Disease and Children, Recipes, Kids “Healthy Fridge” Quiz, Seek-A-Word Game
• Kids Health
  Type a word into the search box or enter one of the 3 areas: Parent, Kids, Teens
• Texas Children’s Hospital – Tips for Parents, Parent Resource Center, Pediatric Health Topics
  Index of hundreds of pediatric health topics: Heart, Diabetes, Behavior and Newsletters.

For Men

• Harvard Men’s Health Watch
  Articles from the Harvard’s Men’s Health Watch, Special Reports, Features and Tools.
• Inflammation may increase stroke risk in men with hypertension
  High levels of a protein linked to inflammation may be a sign of increased risk for stroke.
• Men’s top health threats
  Top causes for men’s death in the US, Get the Basics, Explore Health Issues, and more articles on this topic.
• What About Men’s Health – Heart Disease and Stroke publications
  Links are to fact sheet, booklets, publications and organizations.

For Women

• Harvard Women’s Health Watch
  Covers a wide range of topics of interest to women.
• Healthy Heart Handbook for Women – NHLBI / NIH
  Information on women’s heart disease and practical suggestions for reducing the risk.
• The Heart Truth – A National Awareness Campaign for Women About Heart Disease, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
  The national campaign’s goal is to give women a personal and urgent wake-up call about their risk of heart disease.
• JAMA Patient Page – Heart Disease and Women
  A disease that kills more women each year in the US, the differences of heart disease in women and how to reduce the chance of developing heart disease.
• 4woman.gov – The National Women’s Health Information Center
  A project of the US Department of Health and Human Services, Offices on Women’s Health.
• Harvard Heart Letter
  Focuses on cardiac health care for those that already suffer from heart disease or are concerned about the risk, and want to make a change.
• Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada – Dictionary
  In the online health dictionary, search A-Z to find definitions for words and phrases.
• HeartCenterOnline – Quiz Center
  Test your heart health knowledge with twenty different quizzes.
• HeartInfo.org – Nutrition
  Nutrition Guide: Nutrition and Heart Disease, Nutrition and High Blood Pressure, Weight Management, Healthy Heart Recipes, Healthy Shopping and Eating, Eating Out Healthy, Healthy Holiday Eating, Vitamins, Minerals and Other Supplements.
• HeartPoint Gallery
  Click on a frame and extensive discussions of topics in cardiology. Dr. Darrell J. Youngman is the founder and the Medical Director of HeartPoint, and is Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kansas.
• InteliHealth
  Featuring Harvard Medical Schools Consumer Health Information. Diseases and Conditions, Healthy Lifestyle, Your Health, Look It Up, Medical Dictionary, Symptom Scout, Interactive Tools and Today's News.
  • Heart Basics – Explore the Heart – Explore the heart with interactive illustration.
  • Heart and Circulatory – Lifestyle Changes For A Healthier Heart, Cholesterol Guideline Changes Call For Treatment Changes, Women And Heart Disease, Health Insight Heart, Viewing the Heart, Learn the Basics, Take Action Now, and Related Sites.
  • Heart Smart Eating – Why ‘Fat-Free’ Isn’t Trouble-Free, Healthful Recipes, Folic Acid: Time To Supplement?, Cholesterol Quandary, A Heart-Smart Diet.
  • 3 Quizzes – Heart Health Quiz, High Blood Pressure Quiz and Cholesterol Quiz.

• MEDLINEPlus
  • Drug and Supplement Information
    Information on thousands of prescription and over-the-counter medications, browse A–Z, 0–9 by first letter of generic or brand name drug.
    • Under Health Topics: Heart Diseases (General) – Links to: Latest News, From the National Institutes of Health, Alternative Therapy, Anatomy/Physiology, Clinical Trials, Diagnosis/Symptoms, Nutrition, Prevention/Screening, Rehabilitation, Research, Specific Conditions/Aspects, Treatment, Genetics, Dictionaries/Glossaries, Journals/Newsletters, Organizations, Statistics, Children, Men, Seniors and Women.
    • Heart and Circulation Topics, click on the word.
    • Medical Dictionary – Type in the search word for various medical terms of interest.
    • Medical Encyclopedia– Browse by first letter of topic.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Heart and Circulation
  Health information – several topics on heart and circulation to choose from, click on the link.
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / NIH
  This web site, maintained by the NHLBI/NIH, gives research information, news releases and scientific data.
  • Act In Time to Heart Attack Signs – Web page as part of a campaign to increase awareness of the need to act fast when someone may be having a heart attack. Heart Attacks, Heart Attack Warning Signs, Surviving a Heart Attack, Testing for a Heart Attack, Reducing Heart Attack Risk, Heart Disease and Medications.
  • Cholesterol and Heart Disease IQ – Are you cholesterol smart? Test your knowledge about high blood cholesterol.
  • Estimate Your Heart Attack Risk Calculator – Risk Assessment Tool for Estimating Your 10-year Risk of Having a Heart Attack.
  • NHLBI/NIH – Live Healthier Live Longer – National Cholesterol Education Program, cholesterol lowering recommendations and strategies for the person with heart disease are given here.
  • Physical Activity and Heart Disease IQ – Test how much you know about physical activity and how it affects your heart.
• Nu Connexions: Links: Sites for Special Health and Dietary Needs
  This web site provides research-based information about nutritional needs during special conditions including cardiovascular disease, hypertension and weight management to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
• Texas Heart Institute® (THI)
  THI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative and progressive programs in research, education and patient care.
  • Anatomy of the Heart and Cardiovascular System – Click on the part of the body for a detailed view.
  • THI Journal – From PubMed Central, archives of the THIJ, listed by volume and year, click on the number.
  • Heart Owner’s Update – Published by THI at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital.
• Fruits & Veggies—More Matters™
  Site several links for information relating to eating foods rich in colorful fruits and vegetables because the potential benefits associated with eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce your risk of certain chronic diseases (kids link, educational link, recipe link).