American Heart ❤️ Month

February is American Heart Month, which gives each of us an opportunity to motivate our family, friends and students to make healthier decisions and take steps to prevent heart disease.

People with poor cardiovascular health are at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. So, it’s even more important that we raise awareness about heart health issues in our communities.

HEART HEALTH STATISTICS

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups.

Here are some quick heart health facts specific to the U.S. that everyone should be aware of:

• One person dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease.

• About 655,000 Americans die from heart disease each year (that’s 1 in every 4 deaths).

• About 11% of American adults have been diagnosed with heart disease (that’s 1 in every 9 adults).

Fortunately, there are many things you can do to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, such as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet and quitting tobacco products.