Well Aware for Heart Disease
Outsmart Your Heart Condition
Knowing your own body's stress signals is vital to managing your condition. The CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health® program for heart disease supports your doctor's treatment plan by helping you:
- eliminate or reduce risks that can worsen your condition, such as smoking, inactivity and high cholesterol
- control other diseases that affect the heart, such as high blood pressure
- learn about "red flags," such as sudden weight gain
- find out which medications can help prevent the onset of a heart attack
The personalized support you deserve.
The Well Aware heart disease program was developed using nationally recognized resources, such as the American Heart Association. It is updated to reflect the most current research and practices to be clinically effective.
This strong foundation enables us to work with you and your doctor to provide you with personalized support, including:
- access to a personal, experienced registered nurse to call for guidance and support
- a quarterly newsletter
- reminders of important screenings, tests and exams
- a workbook with a personal diary, self-care routines and health tips
Know the Warning Signs
Women: If you feel...
- discomfort, fullness, tightness, squeezing or pressure in the center of your chest that stays for more than a few minutes or comes and goes
- shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
- pressure or pain that spreads to upper back, shoulders, neck, jaw or arm;
- dizziness or nausea
- clammy sweats, heart flutters or paleness
- unexplained feelings of anxiety, fatigue or weakness, especially with exertion
- stomach or abdominal pain...
Take immediate action. You may be having a heart attack.
- Call 911 for an ambulance or have someone drive you to the nearest hospital emergency room. Do not delay. Tell the hospital staff that you are having heart attack symptoms.
- Chew and swallow one regular full-strength aspirin with water as soon as possible to prevent blood clotting
- Insist that the hospital staff takes your complaints seriously, does not make you wait, and gives you a thorough cardiac evaluation including an electrocardiogram (EKG) or an echocardiogram and a blood test to check your cardiac enzymes.
Heart Care for Women
Oral Health
For more information, or to find out if you qualify, call Member Services at the toll-free telephone number on your CIGNA HealthCare ID card.
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