February is American Heart Month, and the Indiana State Department of Health is asking Hoosiers to help raise awareness of overall heart health.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women nationwide. In 2014, almost 14,000 Indiana residents died from heart disease, accounting for more than one in every five deaths. American Heart Month is an opportunity for Indiana residents to learn more about the disease and it can be prevented.
Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams says this year’s focus is on men’s heart health. He says adult men in Indiana have more than double the risk of heart attack and coronary disease as women.
Heart disease can be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, controlling cholesterol and blood pressure, limiting alcohol consumption, quitting smoking and preventing secondhand smoke, getting active and eating healthy.
Adams says heart disease is a disorder of the blood vessels of the heart that can lead to a heart attack. That’s what happens when an artery becomes blocked and oxygen and nutrients cannot get to the heart.
By quitting smoking, eating healthy and staying physically active, individuals substantially reduce their risk of heart disease. For help quitting smoking, call the Indiana Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit www.quitnowindiana.com.
For more information on heart disease and other types of cardiovascular disease, visit the ISDH Cardiovascular Health Home at https://secure.in.gov/isdh/24970.htm.
