Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Got questions about heart disease? Good! That means you're motivated to take control of your heart health so you can live longer, live better.

If you've been screened for heart disease by Sister to Sister, you've already experienced how helpful it can be to discuss your results with a medical professional. If you've yet to have this heart health conversation, Time to Talk Cardio is a website that offers an impressive tutorial prepare you.

Below are the questions women ask us most frequently after a screening. Use them to guide your exploration of our website and in conversations with your doctor. For your convenience, we've also created a printable version that includes a format for recording your screening results. Print and use it for taking notes at your next doctor visit.

Overall Risk Factors

• What are the results of my screening tests?
• What is my overall risk of heart disease? Can we review my risk factors?
• How often should I return for checkups for my heart health?
• What type of plan should I follow to protect my heart?

Blood Pressure

• What does my blood pressure mean for me?
• If I need medication, what do I need to know about side effects and interactions with other medications or supplements?
• Do I need to restrict the salt in my diet?
• Do you have a suggested diet plan?
• What else should I do to lower my blood pressure?
• When should I get my blood pressure tested again?

Cholesterol

• What do my cholesterol numbers mean for me? Are they all a problem?
• What foods should I avoid to lower my cholesterol?
• What else can I do to lower my cholesterol?
• If I need medication, what do I need to know about side effects and interactions with other medications or supplements?
• When and how often should I have my cholesterol and triglycerides checked from now on?

Diabetes

• What does my blood glucose level mean for me? Am I at risk for diabetes?
• What type of diabetes do I have?
• What can I do to control my diabetes or to prevent it from getting worse (if pre-diabetes?)
• If I need medication, what do I need to know about side effects, how to take it and interactions with other medications or supplements?
• What activities can I do?
• How frequently do I need to test my blood glucose level?

Obesity

• Do I need to lose weight?
• What is my ideal weight for my body?
• How many calories do you suggest I eat each day?
• What type of diet plan do you suggest I follow?
• How much weight should I plan to lose each week?
• What type of exercise can I do safely?

Smoking

• What can I do to quit smoking?
• Is there a specific plan that will work better for me?
• If I use the patch or other products to keep me from smoking, is there anything that I need to know about the possible side effects or interactions with food or medications?

Activity

• How much exercise should I do to protect my heart?
• Should I get a stress test before I begin exercising?
• What exercise would be best for me?