February is ‘American Heart Month’, a nationwide initiative to bring awareness to the prevalence and prevention of heart disease. Over 600,000 Americans die from heart disease yearly, and it remains the leading cause of death for most demographics.
As part of recognizing American Heart Month, Alachua County Fire Rescue encourages citizens to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and engage with community resources such as PulsePoint, a mobile application that allows would-be rescuers to arrive quickly onsite in the event of a nearby emergency.
Heart disease occurs as a result of clogging in the arteries leading to the heart, and risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, and excessive alcohol use are prevalent in many modern-day lifestyles. However, healthy eating habits and physical activity dramatically aid in lowering the risk of heart disease development. It is also advised that individuals regularly maintain a close eye on cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
Heart disease is indiscriminative of age, gender, and ethnicity, meaning everyone should actively monitor their own heart health.
