February is American Heart Month

January 27, 2021

February is American Heart Month, which presents a great opportunity to spread awareness about heart disease throughout the workplace and community.

Heart Disease remains the number 1 cause of death in the US.

Every year, heart disease kills 1 in 4 people. Approximately every 40 seconds an American will have a heart attack.

Heart disease is also known as coronary heart disease or coronary artery disease. Over time, “plaque” builds up in the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood.

What causes plaque?

Tobacco Use
High blood pressure, High Stress
Too much fat and cholesterol in the blood
Too much sugar in the blood

The great news is your risk of developing this chronic, deadly disease can be greatly reduced when you make healthy lifestyle choices while managing other health conditions.

The risk of heart disease can be reduced by the following:

Avoiding Tobacco Products
Managing Blood Pressure
Managing Cholesterol
Managing your Weight
Managing your Stress
Preventing or Managing Diabetes
Being physically active by exercising at least 150 min. per week (30 min. 5 days a week)
Choosing a healthy diet low in saturated fat and sodium

Also, know the following heart attack warning signs:

Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, burning, or pain in the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back.
Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, jaw, neck, or stomach.
Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Not all of these signs occur in every heart attack. If you notice one or more of them, do not wait, call 911 immediately. For more information, visit heart.org

Reedsburg Area Medical Center offers many cardiovascular services right here at home.

RAMC cardiovascular services include:

stress testing
EKGs
holter monitors
ankle brachial index tests
echocardiograms
MUGA scans
MRIs
pacemaker checks
blood tests

Our cardiovascular providers are:

Call RAMC Specialty Group at (608) 768-3900 for more information or to schedule an appointment with a provider.

Cardiac Rehabilitation is also available for those with a recent cardiac event such as a coronary artery stent, heart attack, coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve repair or replacement, stable chest pain, congestive heart failure or peripheral artery disease with leg pain. Call (608) 768-6250 for more information.

Cardiac rehab also offers a self-pay supervised exercise program 2 days per week called Phase 2 ½ for those with risk factors for heart disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, or other chronic stable medical conditions. A physician order is required. Call (608) 768-6250 for more information.

H.E.A.L.T.H 4 U is a lifestyle change program that RAMC offers for those at risk of developing type 2 diabetes or with prediabetes. The main focus is nutrition and physical activity for modest lifestyle changes and a 5% weight loss goal. These lifestyle changes reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Specific parameters must be met to qualify. For those that qualify, this program is reimbursed by Medicare part B, Security Health and other insurances may cover the program as well. Contact Sandra Jewell for more information: sjewell@ramchealth.org or (608) 768-6243.

Heart Disease is the #1 killer for women and men in the United States. Show your commitment and passion for ending heart disease by wearing red on Friday, February 5, with a common goal: the eradication of heart disease and stroke.