Heart and Vascular Health and Chronic Disease Prevention for Men

Heart disease, vascular disease and many other chronic diseases are not inevitable, even among men with a family history or in high-stress roles. At the Men’s Wellness Clinic, we take an aggressive approach to preventing diseases that can rob you of your vitality during the prime of your life.

Comprehensive Testing for Men

At the Men’s Wellness Clinic, we believe that information is power. That is why we make advanced testing available to you so you can be better informed about your health risks and make choices that help you stay as healthy as possible.

We start by conducting a thorough evaluation of your health. Beyond the standard blood tests and physical examination, we offer genetic testing including molecular biomarkers to assess your risk for heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

We also offer a variety of advanced imaging tests that go beyond traditional stress tests to help us get a better view your heart and vascular health. This testing can uncover “hidden” conditions that may not cause symptoms but can be serious, such as coronary artery disease, abdominal aortic aneurysms and peripheral artery disease.

These screenings allow our experts to make evidence-based recommendations to help you reduce your health risks.

A Focus on Improving Longevity

Our team wants to help you live a long and fulfilling life that includes as many healthy years as possible. For most of us, that requires adhering to health strategies focused on prevention.

At the Men’s Wellness Clinic, we won’t simply tell you to lose weight or start exercising. We seek out the most promising approaches for preventing disease and bring them to our patients.

We routinely help men develop strategies for:

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High cholesterol and other lipid disorders
• Coronary artery disease and chest pain
• Vascular disorders
• Varicose veins

Men who come to see us are motivated to make changes. Often, they want to reduce their risks based on their family history. Or they may have had a recent health scare and want to do everything they can to reduce their future risks. Whatever the motivation, we are here to help.

Diet, weight loss, exercise and not smoking are some of the steps you can take to protect against cardiovascular disease. But we recognize that making these lifestyle changes is not easy. That is why we offer a team-based approach to care. In addition to heart and vascular experts, the team at the Men’s Wellness Clinic includes an endocrinologist who can help prevent and manage diabetes and a dietitian who specializes in helping men with weight loss.

Expertise in Heart and Vascular Care

At UChicago Medicine, our experts are considered pioneers in heart disease prevention — from helping develop statins to treat high cholesterol to determining that oat bran lowers cholesterol levels. Our clinic is staffed by experts from the Lipid Clinic at UChicago Medicine who are committed to actively managing patients with high cholesterol so they can take charge of their health.

UChicago Medicine also has a long history of excellence in vascular care, including pioneering what has become modern day vascular surgery. Through the Men’s Wellness Clinic, our patients have access to the most advanced vascular lab services to evaluate arteries and veins in the body. They also can receive the latest treatments for vascular disease, including minimally invasive endovascular approaches to improve blood flow.

Physical Therapist

Sarah Macaraeg, PT, DPT, OCS, WCS

Registered Dietitian

Jennifer Martin, MS, RD, LDN, CDCES