A: St. Vincent's HealthCare (SVHC) is home to the largest cardiovascular program between Atlanta and Orlando. We perform approximately 20,000 cardiovascular procedures each year, including diagnostic and non-invasive testing services, outpatient treatments, interventional procedures, and surgeries. Plus, we were among the first to perform open-heart surgery in Jacksonville and now have the largest open-heart program in the region. Of all adult open-heart surgeries performed at Jacksonville hospitals, 30% happen at SVHC.

A: Women who are having a heart attack never feel the typical chest pain or numbness down the arm that men feel. Instead, they may feel pain in their jaw or upper back, nausea, fatigue, or dizziness. It’s easy to confuse those symptoms with many other physical problems, and, for women, this can be deadly. So if you think you may be having a heart attack, it is important to go to the emergency room immediately.

A: Men typically experience symptoms such as sudden pressure, pain in the center of the chest, fainting, sweating, shortness of breath, and rapid heartbeat. If you think you may be having a heart attack, it is important to go to the emergency room immediately.

A: Heart failure is typically a late manifestation of one or more other cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and valvular disease. Restricted blood flow to the heart muscle (coronary artery disease or ischemic heart disease) is thought to account for approximately 70 percent of heart failure cases. Numerous other disorders and factors may also contribute to the development of heart failure, including metabolic disturbances, toxins or infections, hypersensitivity reactions, and a number of acquired or genetic diseases.

A: Following a few simple steps could greatly decrease your chances of getting heart disease. Some of these include maintaining a healthy weight, participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity every day, limit your alcohol intake, do not smoke, eat more fish and fruits, limit your salt intake, and manage your stress and anger.