February is American Heart Month; twenty-nine days of heart healthy reminders to take care of our hearts. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day.
“With more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes a year, and 800,000 deaths, just about all of us have been touched by someone who has had heart disease, heart attack, or a stroke."- Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Cardiovascular disease is also very expensive—together heart disease and stroke hospitalizations in 2010 cost the nation more than $444 billion in health care expenses and lost productivity.
Astounding statistics and facts that should call us to action.
The American Heart Association offers the following tips on Warning Signs of Heart Attack, Stroke and Cardiac Arrest:
Heart Attack:
o Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
Stroke:
o Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
o Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
o Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
o Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
o Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Cardiac Arrest:
o Sudden loss of responsiveness
o No normal breathing
The American Heart Association offers great advice and events to celebrate healthy heart awareness in February and throughout the year:
American Heart Association’s Richmond Go Red For Women Luncheon
Friday, Feb 17 10:30a to 1:30p
The Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, VA
American Heart Association’s Richmond Heart Ball
Saturday, Apr 14 6:00p
at Science Museum Of Virginia, Richmond, VA
Chelsea Slate 804-965-6529
American Heart Association’s 2012 Heart Walk
October 20, 2012
Join Heart Walk, with more than a million people in 300+ cities across America in taking a stand against heart disease and helping save lives!
Cindy Calhoun, Senior Diretor 804-965-6555
Shea Awad, Director of Development 804-965-6504
Racheel Schrinel, Regional Office Manager 804-965-6585
American Heart Month is more than twenty-nine days in 2012, it is 365 days of continual action to keep our hearts healthy.
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