South Asian Heart Center

Helping South Asians Manage Their Risk of Heart Disease

From India to Trinidad to the United States, the statistics are the same wherever South Asians reside. South Asians — people who trace their ancestry to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka — have more heart attacks, and at a younger age than other ethnic groups. What’s worse, these heart attacks result in a higher percentage of fatalities.

The South Asian Heart Center at El Camino Health was designed to educate people of South Asian ancestry about their risk factors, which are both genetic and life-style based, and help them to manage their risk for heart disease. Services are detailed below.

Assessment

Patients fill out a lifestyle questionnaire and undergo a brief physical exam. They are also given an advanced lipid panel blood test for special risk markers more common in South Asians. Patients also have an opportunity to discuss their particular lifestyle risk factors, such as eating habits, physical activity, stress, and sleep issues.

A Personalized, Comprehensive Heart Health Plan

After the initial assessment, patients are presented with a personalized heart health plan. This may include prescriptions for medication or interventional cardiology to remove arterial blockages. Patients also get advice about reducing stress, exercise recommendations, recommendations for smoking cessation, and even recipes for heart-healthy South Asian cooking.

One-on-One Case Management

Patients are contacted on a regular basis by their case manager, who checks up on them and helps them stick to their health plan.

Increasing Success Rates

The center is helping to raise physicians’ awareness of South Asian risk factors for heart disease, through symposiums, hospital grand rounds and a physician advisory committee.

For more detailed information about the South Asian Heart Center, please visit http://www.southasianheartcenter.org/.