Health Risk Assessment Clinic

Assess your risk for developing heart disease through low-cost tests offered by Bloomington Public Health. Testing is by appointment only. Call 952-563-8900 to make an appointment.

Three types of low-cost tests are available at the clinic: cholesterol only ($25), lipid profile ($35), and total blood chemistry ($45). Nutrition education session available during clinic times.

A cholesterol test estimates your risk of developing heart disease. Cholesterol can be tested alone or in combination with other tests that include HDL, LDL and triglycerides.

Location
Bloomington Public Health

Date and time
In 2012, the Health Risk Assessment Clinic runs from 7:30 to 10:00 a.m. on the following Tuesdays: February 14, June 12 and October 9. Call for an appointment.

Other information

Certain risk factors put an individual at a greater risk for heart disease. Some of these factors can be modified or changed, some cannot.

Factors that cannot be changed

Age. 84 percent of people who die of coronary heart disease are 65 years of age or older. Women who have heart attacks at an older age are more likely than men to die from them within a few weeks.
Male sex (gender). Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women do and they have attacks earlier in life.
Heredity (including race). Heart disease runs in the family; if your parents had heart disease, you are more likely to develop it.

Factors that can be changed

Smoking. Cigarette smoking is the biggest risk factor for heart disease; smokers have about twice the risk of nonsmokers.
High blood cholesterol. As blood cholesterol rises, so does the risk of coronary heart disease. A diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat will lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for heart disease.
High blood pressure. High blood pressure makes the heart work harder, increasing your risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive heart failure.
Physical inactivity. People who are not active have a greater risk than people who exercise regularly. Get active!
Obesity and overweight. Excess weight increases the heart's work. It also raises blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, and lowers HDL ("good") cholesterol levels.
Diabetes mellitus. Diabetes increases your risk of developing heart disease. If you have diabetes, it is extremely important to work with your healthcare provider to manage it and lower any risk factors you can.

For more information, contact:

Bloomington Public Health Division
1900 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, MN 55431
PH: 952-563-8900 V/TTY
Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Interpreters and transportation information are available upon request.