The Best Time to Take Care of Your Heart Is Before Something Goes Wrong

By Patrick Henderson, D.O.

Heart disease rarely announces itself all at once. It builds quietly — sometimes over years — before it becomes a crisis. 

Noninvasive and preventive cardiology exist for exactly that reason: to find what's developing before it becomes dangerous, and to guide care without putting patients through unnecessary procedures.

At Saint Francis Heart and Vascular Institute, that work happens every day.
 

Seeing What's Happening Inside — Without Surgery

The noninvasive cardiology program at Saint Francis uses a broad range of diagnostic tools to assess heart health in detail and with minimal risk:

• Echocardiography: Ultrasound imaging of the heart's structure, valves and blood flow — no radiation involved
• Stress testing: Evaluates how the heart performs under exertion
• Coronary calcium scoring: An effective screening tool for risk stratification in patients without active symptoms
• Cardiac CT: High-precision imaging that continues to improve in quality and diagnostic accuracy
• Cardiac MRI: Detailed imaging that avoids radiation entirely
• Vascular ultrasound: Assesses blood flow and vessel health throughout the body
• Rhythm monitoring: Detects arrhythmias and irregular heart patterns over time

Together, these tools provide a comprehensive picture of cardiac structure, blood flow, valve function and electrical activity — high-value information gathered safely and without invasive procedures.
 

When to Pay Attention

Some symptoms are easy to dismiss as stress, aging or something unrelated to the heart. But certain signs are worth a closer look, including:

• Shortness of breath
• New-onset fatigue
• Atypical chest discomfort
• Palpitations
• Swelling or edema
• Dizziness or near-fainting episodes

Beyond symptoms, certain risk factors also warrant further cardiovascular assessment — even when a patient feels fine. These include a significant family history of heart disease, difficult-to-control high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use and chronic kidney disease.

If any of these apply to you or a loved one, a conversation with your primary care doctor is a great start. If you don't have a primary care doctor, start with Saint Francis Well Connected. You can also take this free heart health quiz and an HVI staff member will follow up if your results indicate needing further testing.
 

A Note on Calcium Scoring

Coronary calcium scoring is a valuable tool — but it's specifically designed for patients without active symptoms. If you are experiencing symptoms, a different diagnostic pathway is more appropriate. The cardiology team at Saint Francis HVI is available to help determine which evaluation makes the most sense based on your individual situation.
 

Care That Starts Before the Emergency

The goal of preventive cardiology is straightforward: catch what's developing early, monitor it over time and make treatment decisions based on complete, accurate information. For patients across eastern Oklahoma, that level of proactive heart care is available close to home at Saint Francis Heart and Vascular Institute.

If you have concerns about your heart health — or risk factors that haven't been fully evaluated — talk to your provider about a cardiology referral. The earlier the conversation, the more options you have.