“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Benjamin Franklin.
Our vision for preventive cardiology is to provide world-class diagnostic evaluation, risk stratification, and management for patients presenting to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) events (heart attack, stroke). Our care aims to maximize the quality of life, alleviate symptoms, prevent hospitalizations, reduce the risk for major CVD events, and improve overall survival.
To contact the Preventive Cardiology Clinic, call: 303-715-2208
The Prevention Clinic is located on the 2nd floor of South Denver Heart Center, 1000 SouthPark Dr., Littleton, CO 80120
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 08:00 am- 5:00 pm
Our Patient Portal is one of our main avenues for communicating with you. You can ask our nursing staff questions, request appointments, record and track your personal medical history, pay your bill and renew your prescriptions online. Click here to visit the Patient Portal.
The American College of Cardiology states, an estimated 47 million people in the U.S. are living with cardiometabolic disorders, putting them at an increased risk of developing heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Cardiometabolic disorders represent a cluster of interrelated risk factors, primarily hypertension, elevated fasting blood sugar, dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity and elevated triglycerides.
You are a great candidate for the prevention clinic if you:
Please click on the link to read our Patient Welcome Letter
If weight loss is important to you, click here to learn more.
What happens when you get a Coronary Calcium Score that is not a zero? What can be done to reduce my Coronary Calcium Score or my heart attack risk? These are common questions patients ask at the South Denver Heart Center. Dr. Paul Jurgens is a preventative cardiologist with South Denver Cardiology Associates. In this video, he answers the patient’s questions about the results of their Coronary Calcium Score.
Nutrition and Physical Activity are the foundation of heart health. The SDCA Prevention Clinic has the most updated information and a qualified care team to assist you in living a heart-healthy lifestyle.
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Visit our siteDr. Paul Jurgens was quoted in a Today Show interview.
“Jurgens said he was not surprised by the results, noting that “there have been some studies in the past looking at red yeast rice and garlic.”… Clink on the link to read the article.
Read
Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance that our body needs, however too much can be harmful. Genetics, what we eat, and how physically active we are contributes to how much cholesterol we have circulating in our blood. Cholesterol can accumulate in the inner walls of the coronary arteries (blood vessels) that supply oxygen and nutrients to our heart muscle. Over time, inflammation, plaque, and small clots from platelets on the plaque causes the arteries to narrow, harden, or become unstable and can break off causing a heart attack.
Not only can you get plaque in your coronary arteries, the vessels that supply your heart muscle with blood, oxygen, and nutrients, but you can develop plaque in your arteries to your brain, legs, and other organs. This can increase your risk of stroke or peripheral artery disease.
Depending on your risk factors, your medical provider will recommend a target cholesterol number goal to help reduce your risk of developing or progressing atherosclerosis (plaque), heart disease, or having a heart attack, or stroke.
YES! If your cholesterol is not at a safe number determined by your medical provider, this will increase your risk of heart attack and stroke! Learn more here.
Check out American Heart Association’s education modules on cholesterol, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease to learn more.
About 1 in 250 people have genetics that increase cholesterol levels. Even with healthy eating and being physically active, your genetics can still put you at risk of developing heart disease, heart attack, or stroke. Learn more here.
Heart Healthy Diet and Physical activity is recommended for first line treatment of high cholesterol and to prevent or slow progression of heart disease. However, in some cases combination with lifestyle with medications is recommended. Learn more here.
We want your blood pressure to be less than 130/80! If your blood pressure is high, over time, the increased pressure can damage the inner lining of your blood vessel, increasing the risk of heart disease and putting too much work on your heart muscle pumping blood through a high-pressure blood vessel. Think of a garden hose with too much pressure.
A good night’s sleep is essential for your mind and body. Not getting enough sleep or quality sleep increases your risk of many chronic diseases, including heart disease and stroke. On average, adults need 7-9 hours of sleep.
If you have difficulty falling asleep, wake up throughout the night, snore, or feel tired during the day, you may not get enough quality sleep. You may have sleep apnea, where you have brief moments where you stop breathing. Over time this can increase your risk of irregular heart rhythms and heart failure.
Too much stress, or the bad kind of stress over time, can harm our minds and bodies. Stress can affect sleep, hormones, and everyday habits like eating and physical activity. Stress is different for everyone. Sometimes stress can Incorporate self-care and tools to help you through stressful times is good for your mind, body, and heart! Learn more here.
Paul Jurgens, M.D.
Jamee McCarthy
Jessica Haakenson, LPN
Dominique Trujillo