February is American Heart Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States - that’s 1 in every 4 deaths. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most ethnicities in the United States, including African Americans, Hispanics, and whites.  
February was designated as American Heart Month in 1964 to raise awareness about this very serious yet potentially preventable disease.  Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading global cause of death with more than 17.9 million deaths each year.
Although these statistics are alarming, there are easy and healthy lifestyle changes that can help prevent heart disease.  Here are some simple steps to reduce your risk:
• Schedule a visit with your doctor to talk about heart health
• Take steps to quit smoking
• Maintain a healthy weight and increase healthy eating
• Exercise regularly
• Prevent or treat your other health conditions, especially high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes
To learn more about heart disease and prevention, go to the Center for Disease Control’s  Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (DHDSP) http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp or the American Heart Association http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/