As part of its commitment to cardiac care, Western Baptist Hospital opened the only heart center of its kind west of Louisville last year and has met American Heart Association guidelines for excellence.

So if you have been diagnosed with heart disease or are just interested in keeping your heart healthy, Western Baptist can help. Because an informed patient is a healthier patient, Western Baptist has a variety of resources to help a patient learn more about his or her condition, find ways to treat or control it and offer support to improve care.

Many of these resources are available online at www.westernbaptist.com, including:

Online Heart Care Center—Comprehensive heart care information, interactive tools and helpful tips for prevention, treatment and lifestyle modification.

Online heart risk assessment—A free five-minute survey gives immediate feedback on your chances of having a heart attack and information on cardiac screenings. When you complete the survey, a nurse will contact you to go over your results and offer discounted screenings.

Other online resources—“HealthBreaks,” a new 90-second educational video posted each week, with an archive on many different topics; Illustrated Health Encyclopedia and dates of upcoming screenings.

Other resources:

Chest Pain Hotline—For help recognizing the symptoms of heart attack and stroke, phone the Chest Pain Hotline at 1-800-575-1911 to speak with a registered nurse at Western Baptist. This free service is available 24 hours a day. (In an emergency, phone 911 or visit your nearest emergency room.)

Classes—At different times throughout the year, Western Baptist offers Understanding Heart Failure, the Cooper Clayton Method to Stop Smoking and CPR for Family and Friends—all free classes. For specific class dates, phone (270) 575-2918.

Baptist Family Fitness—To keep your heart healthy and your body fit, try the steppers, bikes, treadmills and other exercise equipment at Western Baptist and get an effective aerobic workout. Group exercise classes also are available, including BodyPump®, Kickboxing and Spin Blast. Phone (270) 443-PLAY (7529) for information and rates.