Do you know your “heart health numbers”? How do you measure up compared to “120 over 60” and “total cholesterol 200”?

Find out what these numbers mean at Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital’s free heart health event on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, from 12-2 p.m. In celebration of National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week, the cardiopulmonary rehabilitation department is promoting heart health with free screenings, tours and an opportunity to meet heart health experts.

“This time of year, around Valentine’s Day, we are all focused on matters of the heart. It’s the best time to make sure you are SMART about your heart health,” explained Marsha Griggs, RN-BC, CCRP, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation coordinator at Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital.

“It’s important to know your heart health numbers for blood pressure and cholesterol and to identify your personal cardiac risk profile. Then you can make SMART changes. SMART stands for changes that are specific, measurable, adjustable, realistic, and time-based,” Ms. Griggs added.

The free event will be held at the cardiac rehabilitation facility adjacent to the hospital at 2030 Viborg Road, Suite 108, in Solvang. Free blood pressure readings and free cholesterol checks will be available. Reservations are required for the cholesterol tests and space is limited. Please call toll-free at 1-888-999-8262 to secure a test time.

Attendees will be able to tour the facility as well as meet with staff, including Ms. Griggs. The hospital’s registered dietitian, Stacey Bailey, will be available to give nutrition advice for optimum heart health.

Since 1988, the SYVCH cardiac rehabilitation department provides a medically supervised outpatient program to assist those who have had heart attacks, stroke, cardiac procedures, or other heart issues. SYVCH provides medical supervision, assessment and counseling by registered nurses and dietitians, EKG and blood pressure monitoring, and support with managing stress and healthy diets.  The cardiac rehabilitation program requires a doctor’s referral. For more information, please call 805-686-3990.

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“Advances in care at the hospital include new state-of-the- art defibrillators for adult and pediatric patients, a new digital portable ultrasound and new digital, portable x-ray machine for the Emergency Department. We are proud to be able to continue to provide services with current technology thanks to the strong support of our auxiliary, foundation and community,” said Wende Cappetta, SYVCH Vice President.

The hospital became affiliated with Cottage Health in April 1995 and today, continues to provide high quality inpatient and outpatient services including outpatient surgical services,  comprehensive imaging (including MRI, CT, digital mammography, ultrasound, X-ray), outpatient infusion suite, on-site laboratory, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, physicians’ specialty clinic and 24-hour emergency services to the residents and visitors of the Santa Ynez Valley.

Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital has received many awards over its 52 years of service, and was ranked by the National Rural Health Association as one of the top 20 critical access hospitals in the nation for best practices in patient satisfaction in 2014 and 2015.

Founded in 1964, the not-for-profit Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital (SYVCH) located at 2050 Viborg Road in Solvang, provides high quality outpatient surgical services, inpatient care, comprehensive imaging (including MRI, CT, digital mammography, ultrasound, X-ray), on-site laboratory, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, physicians’ specialty clinic and 24-hour emergency services to the community. SYVCH is part of not-for-profit Cottage Health, the leader in providing advanced medical care to the Central Coast region.  Specialties include the Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Level 2 Trauma Center, Neuroscience Institute, Heart & Vascular Center, Center for Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Hospital. The Cottage Health medical staff includes more than 700 physicians, many with subspecialties typically found only at university medical centers. In 2015, the Cottage Health hospitals in Goleta, Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley provided inpatient care for 19,000 people, treated 76,000 patients through their 24-hour emergency departments and helped deliver 2,200 newborns. For more information, call 805-688-6431 or visit www.cottagehealth.org/syvch

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