Maintaining cardiovascular health is vital. And we're here to help you learn how!

Cardiovascular health is critical to the quality of your life. And there's a lot you can do to give yourself the best chance to live healthier, longer. At The Heart and Vascular Institute at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, we understand the importance of educating the pubic. And that's just what we do, with comprehensive educational programs like these:

Thanks to Operation Heartbeat, The Heart and Vascular Institute at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital helped provide approximately 30 Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) to Luzerne County. The objective of this incredible undertaking was to improve your chances of surviving a serious cardiac emergency.

These life-saving devices are actually portable defibrillators. Used properly, an AED is a safe and easy way to shock a distressed heart back to proper rhythm. Each AED comes with voice-prompted commands that guide the user through each life-saving step. With proper instruction, AEDs are easy enough for nearly anyone to use.

Through Operation Heartbeat, we have placed AEDs at First Union Arena at Casey Plaza, Irem Temple Country Club, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, Thomas P. Saxton Medical Pavilion and First Hospital Wyoming Valley. Additionally, AEDs have been provided to the following Luzerne County first responder emergency units: Wilkes-Barre Township Police, Duryea Police, West Pittston Police, Hanover Township Police, Hanover Township Fire, Rice Township Police, Dupont Police, Warrior Run Police, Penn State University Hazleton Police, Larksville Police, Swoyersville Fire and Nanticoke Police.

Another important aspect of Operation Heartbeat was instruction. Through the program, health professionals educated the community on 1) recognizing the early warning signs of cardiac arrest and heart attack, and 2) properly administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) which, in the right situation, could save a life.

Through its commitment to improving the cardiac health of the community, The Heart and Vascular Institute at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and its important "Operation Heartbeat" initiative truly made a difference.

This monthly support group provides information to those with heart disease (including implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients) and their families/support persons. Meetings typically address a variety of topics that help to educate patients and their families about current trends in heart disease management. Meetings are free of charge and open to the public. For more information, or to make a reservation to attend, please call our Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at 552-4931.


Regular screenings, health fairs and educational programs help us to spread the word and emphasize the importance of taking care from a cardiovascular point of view. All year long, in locations throughout the community, our cholesterol screenings, blood pressure clinics, stroke risk assessments, educational seminars and CPR certification classes help spread the message of good cardiovascular health. All of these efforts serve to educate the public, encourage individual health promotion and reach people who would not otherwise seek information.


Through a special affiliation, the Institute serves as a teaching hospital for students currently enrolled in Lancaster General Hospital's School of Cardiovascular Technology. Students who spend 18 months as interns – working side-by-side with our physicians, nurses and technologists – benefit from an intense educational and clinical experience.

The Institute also serves as a teaching hospital for students of Harrison Career Institute and Allied Medical and Technical Careers. Students from these institutions enjoy an opportunity to fulfill their educational requirements by completing rotations within our Cardiology Department.

A special relationship between our Pediatric Cardiac Clinic and Penn State/Hershey Medical Center brings their chief of Pediatric Cardiology to our facility three times each month in order to examine children who have been referred to us. If any irregularities are detected, further treatment is provided at Penn State/Hershey Medical Center.


Learn them now. And DO SOMETHING about the ones that you can control.

There are a number of significant risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease. Some of them just cannot be controlled. But here's good news: Others can be controlled! Learn them all. And take proper action against those risk factors that you CAN control. It can save your life, so start right now!

While there's nothing you can do about them, recognizing these risk factors can provide you with the awareness to constantly monitor your health – and, in the process, eliminate other risk factors.

Men are more likely than women to have cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and stroke – and at younger ages.

According to the American Heart Association, 83% of people who die from heart attack are 65 or older.

If one or both of your parents had cardiovascular disease, your risks are even greater.

African-Americans are twice as likely to have high blood pressure – and that increases the risk for cardiovascular disease.

The American Heart Association reports that 80% of people with diabetes die from some type of cardiac or vascular disease.



Learn them now. And make the necessary changes in your lifestyle to help minimize the chance of suffering from cardiovascular disease:

If you smoke, quit now. If you don't smoke, don't start. Smoking can increase blood pressure, raise your cholesterol and cause more cardiovascular damage than any other factor!

Have yours monitored regularly by your physician and follow your doctor's guidelines to maintain healthy blood pressure.

"Good" cholesterol is essential for proper cardiovascular function, but too much "bad" cholesterol can increase the possibility of plaque building up on the linings of your arteries – and that's a leading cause of stroke and heart attack.

Less than 1 in 5 Americans performs moderate physical activity at least 3 times a week. A sedentary lifestyle (and the accompanying weight gain) often lead to cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke.

While difficult to measure, stress can increase blood pressure and release hormones that may damage the cardiovascular system.

More than 2 drinks per day can increase blood pressure. Also, drinking large amounts can cause heart failure and stroke.



Start now! Eat a healthy and balanced diet that's low in saturated fats. Cut back on dairy products. Use skim milk (that's 0% fat, not 2%). Avoid tropical oils – such as palm, palm kernel and coconut – in baked goods. Eat more fish, chicken and turkey. Cut back on red meat.

Healthy hearts like reasonable exercise, so adopt a physically active lifestyle and establish a regular routine. Walking, jogging, bicycling – even gardening – three times a week or more can make a big difference.

Tobacco reduces the body's "good" cholesterol, and it makes blood more likely to clot, thus setting the stage for heart attack or stroke. It also constricts blood vessels and reduces the blood's ability to transport life-giving oxygen.

Excessive drinking increases blood pressure. Binge drinking can widen the chances of stroke. If you must drink, drink moderately – perhaps one drink (at most) per day.

Monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol – and ask your doctor for advice on keeping them under control.

Talk to your doctor and learn more about how you can do it. It's not easy, but try. And start now!

If you're at risk (if you have more than one of the risk factors that are described here), be sure to visit your doctor for regular monitoring. Your doctor knows best how to care for you.