Tag Archive for: #hearthealthmonth

Warren County Health Dept. Hosts Women’s Heart Health Lunch And Learn Feb. 13

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Today is National Wear Red Day! The Warren County Health Department invites member of the community to join the national movement by not only wearing red today, but by sharing photos on Facebook and tagging the health department in the posts.

Not into Facebook? Send photos to tanishalyons@warrencountync.gov and we can post the pictures on the event page. This will create a vibrant display of unity and commitment to this important cause.

The health department continues its observance of Heart Health Month with a Women’s Heart Health Lunch and Learn session on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Warren County Memorial Library.

Participants will hear an informative discussion about the effects of heart disease on women and also will learn some strategies to improve women’s heart health. A light lunch will be provided. RSVP to this program at 252.257.6037.

Some startling statistics about women’s heart health:

  • Cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined, and yet only 44 percent of women recognize that cardiovascular disease is their greatest health threat.

 

  • Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of new moms and accounts for more than one-third of maternal deaths. Black women have some of the highest maternal mortality rates.

 

  • Between 10 percent and 20 percent of women will have a health issue during pregnancy, and high blood pressure, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes during pregnancy greatly increase a woman’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease later in life.

 

 

TownTalk: Taking Care of Your Heart

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Dr. Mohammed Akhter, an interventional cardiologist at Maria Parham Health is helping promote the American Heart Association’s theme to “reclaim your rhythm” during the February observance of heart health awareness.

No one can deny the impact that COVID-19 has had on our brains and our hearts, Akhter told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk. He encourages everyone to focus again on health lifestyles that can have a positive effect on our physical and mental health.

When gyms and restaurants shut down at the onset of the pandemic in 2020, it was more than just an inconvenience, Akhter said.

It’s time to get back in the groove of those lifestyle habits like regular exercise, eating healty foods and enjoying the social interactions with family and others.

During the pandemic, he said, “we couldn’t go to the gym, we were ordering food online and not socially interacting with our loved ones – that has a major effect on our health.”
The AHA made a fundamental plea to the public, he said. “Now is the time to get back to the rhythm – exercise more, eat better and spend more time with your families.”

Those are concrete examples of steps to take to improve health and reduce stress. But  diagnostic tests performed by medical professionals are needed to determine if high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol levels may also be affecting your overall heart health.

Akhter said that 1 in 2 U.S. adults have hypertension – high blood pressure – but only 1 in 4 have it under control.

He recommends that his patients try to consume less than 2 grams of sodium a day, which may mean scrutinizing food labels. In addition, he recommends 30 minutes of exercise most days, limiting alcohol use and taking medicine that is prescribed for hypertension.

Women and African Americans are two groups that are underrepresented in heart studies, he said.

Maria Parham Health promoted National Wear Red Day on Feb. 4 as a way to “express a solidarity with women who are at risk for cardiovascular disease. He said it’s the number one killer in women.

Women may experience different symptoms than men, he said, adding that is a contributing factor to the under-diagnosis of heart disease in women.

Similarly, African Americans are underrepresented in studies of heart health.

The goal is equitable health for all, Akhter said, who said that in his practice, he works hard to tailor therapies to the individual patients.