MUSC Health Preventative Cardiology Program

Each February, MUSC Health joins in the celebration of American Heart Month, and focusing on your heart health has never been more important. People with poor cardiovascular health are also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. But, there's a lot you can do to prevent heart disease, a leading cause of death in the United States. Throughout the month, MUSC Health will be sharing heart health tips to inspire and motivate you and those you love to make heart health a regular part of your routine.

MUSC Health Preventive Cardiology Program

Accidents are easier to avoid when there is a clear view of the road ahead. That is how Pamela Morris, M.D., Director of Preventive Cardiology and Co-director of Women's Heart Care at the MUSC Health Heart & Vascular Center sees her mission–to help women get a clear view of their cardiovascular health. "We have a very comprehensive risk reduction program," says Morris. "We offer complete primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease through a wide range of components including lipid management, lifestyle and nutrition counseling, exercise counseling, smoking cessation, and diabetes and hypertension management. We're really lucky at MUSC to have great resources in all of these key areas." Anyone can access the program, regardless of whether they have already had a cardiovascular event like a heart attack or a stroke. Morris and her team assess each person's cardiovascular risk factors and design a customized plan to help prevent a first or second event. Since heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the US, prevention is essential. Morris and her team want to make sure that every woman they see avoids becoming one of the estimated 300,000 American women who die from heart disease each year.