In celebration of American Heart Month, the Schliemann Center for Women’s Health Education is hosting Girls’ Night Out: Heart to Heart. The event is set for Thursday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 and will feature a heart health panel led by cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Louis Elkins, M.D. The Girls’ Night Out event will be held in the Baxter Regional Medical Center Lagerborg Dining Room.The event is free, and a light dinner will be provided. However, space is limited, and reservations are required. To register, enroll online at <www.baxterregional.org/events>, call the SCWHE at (870) 508-2345, or email Stefany Isham, SCWHE coordinator, at sisham@baxterregional.org <mailto:sisham@baxterregional.org>.Each year heart disease takes the life of one in three American women, killing more than all forms of cancer combined.
Unfortunately, this means we lose women at the rate of one per minute. In most cases, this disease can be prevented by nearly 80 percent with education and lifestyle changes.
Celebrated each February, American Heart Month promotes awareness of heart disease, its risk factors and symptoms. Through local community events and classes, the Schliemann Center for Womens Health Education (SCWHE) is also able to raise awareness.
Some controllable factors may include:
· High blood pressure. This silent killer increases the risk for heart attack or stroke.
· Smoking. According to the American Heart Association, smoking can increase the risk of coronary heart disease by up to four times.
· High cholesterol. The higher cholesterol the greater risk of coronary heart disease.
· Physical inactivity. Lack of exercise increases the risk of heart disease.
· Obesity. Excess body fat, especially around the waist, increases the risk of heart attack and stroke
· Diabetes. Having diabetes, especially with uncontrolled blood sugar, increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Women are also encouraged to gain knowledge and recognition of heart attack symptoms. These symptoms often differ from those of men. While men may experience chest pain, indications of a heart attack in women may include weakness, shortness of breath and unusual fatigue.
For more information about women’s heart health, visit or www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/hearttruth/ <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/hearttruth/>.
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