In 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed February as American Heart Month to raise awareness about the prevalence of heart disease and help improve cardiovascular health. We’ve come a long way in the past 60 years, but heart health is still the #1 cause of death in the United States.
Organizations such as the American Heart Association continue to lead national awareness efforts, including campaigns like National Wear Red Day and Go Red for Women, which focus on educating the public about heart health and prevention.
The encouraging news is that many forms of heart disease are preventable. Routine screenings, early detection and sustainable lifestyle changes can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease. American Heart Month is a timely reminder to evaluate your heart health and take proactive steps toward prevention.
What Is American Heart Month?
American Heart Month is observed every February to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease and encourage people to take proactive steps toward heart disease prevention.
Heart disease accounts for 1 in every 5 deaths in the United States. Many of these cases are preventable through routine screening, early detection and healthy lifestyle changes.
Why Is Heart Disease Still So Common?
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States because many risk factors develop slowly and often without noticeable symptoms.
Conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes can damage blood vessels over time. Without routine screenings, many people don’t realize they are at risk until a serious event, such as a heart attack or stroke, occurs.
Causes of Heart Disease
Heart disease develops when the arteries that supply blood to the heart become damaged or narrowed. The most common underlying cause is a condition called atherosclerosis, which occurs when plaque builds up inside the arteries.
Plaque forms from a combination of:
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- High cholesterol
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- High blood pressure
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- Sedentary behavior and low levels of physical activity
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- Smoking
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- Diabetes
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- Chronic inflammation
Over time, this buildup restricts blood flow to the heart and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Most causes are linked to long-term health patterns rather than a single event, which is why prevention and early screening are so important.
How to Prevent Heart Disease
So, how can you keep your heart healthy during American Heart Month?
Know your risk.
If a member of your family has heart disease, it could mean you’re more likely to have heart disease, too. If you can, talk with your blood relatives to learn if they or another member of your family had cardiovascular health issues, what they were, and when they were first diagnosed.
If you can’t talk to family members or don’t know your family’s history, the next step is to talk to your healthcare provider about testing for heart disease. There are a number of tests we can perform at Access Medical Clinic to help diagnose potential heart health concerns, including:
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- Electrocardiograms (EKGs),
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- Blood testing to monitor for cholesterol and other markers,
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- Blood pressure monitoring,
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- And more.
Schedule a visit at an Access Medical Clinic near you.
Monitor existing conditions.
In addition to family history, there are existing conditions that can contribute to future heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes. Monitoring and managing these chronic conditions is important, which is why Access Medical Clinic offers a variety of care management options. Depending on your underlying conditions, remote patient monitoring options like at-home blood pressure checks or blood glucose monitoring can help manage your existing condition and your risk of developing heart disease.
Lifestyle changes.
Additional factors that can increase risk for cardiovascular diseases are being overweight, using tobacco products, being physically inactive, and eating unhealthy foods. Many of these factors are not easy habits to break, though, so simply telling someone to change their lifestyle habits isn’t very helpful.
Yes, you should stop smoking and start exercising or eating more whole foods, but where do you start? Our providers can help you develop heart healthy plans that are unique to you and connect you with the right resources to get started.
How Do I Know If My Heart Is Healthy?
American Heart Month is the perfect time to take stock of your heart health. Ask yourself:
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- Does heart disease run in my family?
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- Do I have underlying medical conditions that could contribute to heart disease?
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- Do any of my lifestyle habits negatively impact my heart health?
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- Am I following principles of healthy living, including regular physical activity and a balanced healthy diet?
If you answered “yes” to any of these three questions, it’s time to connect with a healthcare provider.
Heart Disease Screening and Testing Options
Routine screenings can detect early warning signs before symptoms develop. At Access Medical Clinic, providers may recommend:
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- Electrocardiogram (EKG) testing
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- Blood pressure monitoring
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- Cholesterol and lipid panel testing
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- Blood glucose testing
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- Cardiovascular risk assessments
These screenings help identify conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes, which significantly increase heart disease risk when left unmanaged.
Early detection allows providers to create a personalized prevention or treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Heart Health Services at Access Medical Clinic
Access Medical Clinic has over 60 locations to provide you with convenient, compassionate, and high-quality care. Search for a clinic near you and schedule an appointment today.
