Preventive Cardiology Clinic
Certain genetic factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure or a history of obesity can increase the risk of heart disease in children. At the Preventive Cardiology Clinic, our goal is to identify these risks early and build a specialized plan that will help your child avoid serious heart concerns later in life.
Nationwide Children's Hospital is ranked by U.S. News & World Report for Cardiology and Heart Surgery.
About Us
The Preventive Cardiology Clinic believes in focusing on family education to help children live a more heart-healthy lifestyle. We emphasize the need for patients to change to a heart-healthy diet and for families to increase their daily exercise time in a safe environment. We strive to involve the entire family to create a family-based program. Here are some helpful tips.
Our specialty trained preventive cardiologists work with dietitians, exercise physiologists, and other specialties to make sure your child’s care path is as comprehensive as possible.
Patient Evaluation at the Preventive Cardiology Clinic Includes
- Physical Exam
- Height and Weight/BMI
- Blood pressure
- Assessment of risk factors in the family history
- Patients may also need to see a registered dietitian or a nutritionist at the Preventive Cardiology Clinic, at the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition, or locally where they live.
- Patients may also see an exercise physiologist at the Preventive Cardiology Clinic
Parents and Health Care Workers Should
- Be a positive role model/be supportive
- Get the whole family involved
- Limit sedentary time/increase physical activities
- Set specific goals and realistic expectations
- Celebrate good behavior with healthy foods
- Be an advocate for healthier children
Meet Our Team
Conditions We Treat
Our Locations
Resources for Families
Patient Referrals
Primary care providers should refer if:
- The patient has a family history of high cholesterol, or
- A family member has had an early cardiovascular event, or
- There is an abnormally elevated fasting lipid profile and further evaluation and possible medical therapy is indicated
Children are evaluated at the Preventive Cardiology Clinic for several reasons and can be referred by their pediatrician or primary care physician when:
- They have a family history of high cholesterol, or
- A family member has had an early cardiovascular event, or
- There is an abnormally elevated fasting lipid profile and further evaluation and possible medical therapy is indicated
For children ages 2 – 10 years, initial lipid profile testing is recommended as an aspect of preventive pediatric care. We follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation for fasting lipid profiles, which includes testing of:
- Triglyceride level (based on what they eat)
- Total cholesterol (based on what a child inherits from family and what they eat)
- HDL-C (“good” cholesterol)
- LDL-C (“bad” cholesterol)
Download Lipid Screening Guidelines in Children and Adolescents
Download Pediatric Hypertension Practice Tool
Conditions We Treat
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Hypertension
- Hypertriglyceridemia
- Low HDL
