Three heart tips for women
A new option for uninsured New Yorkers needing a cardiologist
COURIER LIFE, FEBRUARY 7-13, 2020 25
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
offers the following advice to
women looking to prioritize their heart
health:
A heart-friendly diet
Thanks to food labels, it’s easier than
ever for women to consume heart-healthy
diets. When examining labels, look for
foods that are low in sodium and sugar.
When planning meals, avoid foods that
are high in trans fats.
In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration
ruled that trans fats were not recognized
as safe for use in human foods and
gave manufacturers three years to remove
them from their products. The Cleveland
Clinic advises consumers to check labels
for “partially hydrogenated oils,” which
are a hidden source of trans fats. In addition,
the Cleveland Clinic notes that foods
such as cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits, microwavable
breakfast sandwiches, and
many types of crackers contain trans fats.
High-risk conditions
Certain conditions can increase a
woman’s risk for heart disease. While
women may not be able to turn back the
clocks and prevent these conditions from
developing, they can take them for the serious
threat they are and do their best to
manage them.
High blood pressure, diabetes, and
high cholesterol can increase a woman’s
risk for heart disease. Take medications
as directed, monitor blood sugar levels
if you have diabetes, and routinely
have your blood pressure and cholesterol
tested to ensure any preexisting conditions
are not increasing your risk for
heart disease.
Aspirin intake
The Food and Drug Administration
notes that many physicians prescribe aspirin
to lower patients’ risk of heart disease,
clot-related strokes, and other problems
related to cardiovascular disease.
However, there are risks associated with
long-term aspirin use, and such risks
should be discussed with a physician.
According to the Administration,
bleeding in the stomach, bleeding in the
brain, kidney failure, and certain types
of stroke are some of the potential side effects
of long-term aspirin use. Such side
effects may never appear, but the risk
that they might makes discussing the
pros and cons of aspirin well worth it.
Women can learn more about heart disease
by visiting www.fda.gov.
Heart Health
Brooklynites who need to see
a cardiologist but who do not
qualify for or cannot afford
health insurance have a new option
for health care services – NYC
Care.
NYC Care is a health care access
program that guarantees low-cost
and no-cost services offered by NYC
Health + Hospitals. Launched on
January 29 in Brooklyn and Staten
Island, NYC Care is the nation’s
largest and most comprehensive initiative
to guarantee health care. In
South Brooklyn, NYC Care unlocks
access to a plethora of services – including
heart care – at NYC Health
+ Hospitals/Coney Island.
With NYC Care, members will
be connected to a primary care
provider who will coordinate their
care and will lead their health care
team, which may include nurses,
medical assistants, social workers,
pharmacists, nutritionists and
assistants. The primary care provider
will treat routine physical
conditions, such as high blood pressure;
give vaccinations; and provide
screenings like mammograms and
colonoscopies. They will also connect
members to specialty services,
such as cardiology for heart care.
“The key to basic cardiovascular
health is having a medical professional
perform regular screenings,
such as blood pressure, cholesterol,
weight and blood sugar. These tests
can help us prescribe needed medication
or make lifestyle change suggestions.
They can also raise some
red flags which would require additional
monitoring and testing, but
can be life-saving. Access to these
critical services through NYC Care
can lower the risk of cardiovascular
disease substantially,” said Dr. Terence
Brady, Chief Medical Officer
of NYC Heath + Hospitals/Coney Island.
Upon enrollment NYC Care
members will receive a unique
membership card to access health
care at NYC Health + Hospitals patient
care locations across the city,
and will get their first appointment
within two weeks or less. Members
will also have access to low-cost prescription
medications, which can be
filled day or night at pharmacy locations.
At NYC Health + Hospitals/Coney
Island, NYC Care members will
have access to a U.S. News & World
Report high-performing ranked facility
in heart failure. The hospital
provides heart failure patients
with both a multidisciplinary team
of clinical experts and state-of-theart
equipment. The hospital’s new
cardiac catheterization laboratory
creates an environment in which
patients can thrive and experience
better outcomes.
In order to enroll in NYC Care,
individuals must have been living
in New York City for six months or
longer and must not qualify for any
health insurance plan available in
New York State. The program is designed
to make health care affordable,
so there are no membership
fees, monthly fees or premiums,
and the members will only pay for
the services they receive based on
rates determined by family size and
income.
To learn more and to enroll,
call 1-646-NYC-CARE (1-646-692-
2273) or visit at NYC Health + Hospitals
Financial Counselor at Coney
Island Hospital.
/www.fda.gov
/www.fda.gov
