BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital in Buckhannon recognized American Heart Association's “Go Red for Women” day by wearing red on Friday, Feb. 2 to help build awareness of heart disease in women.
Awareness that heart disease is the #1 killer of women has increased over the past years. While 1 in 31 American women die of breast cancer, about 1 in 3 will die from cardiovascular disease this year, according to the American Heart Association. Since 1984, more women than men have died from heart disease.
However, most women fail to make the connection between heart disease risk factors and their personal risk of developing the disease.
The staff at St. Joseph's Hospital along with Cardiologist Yaser Kalash, M.D., hope to bring awareness to this disease and encourage women to take steps to prevent it. Two of the major causes are high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Regular check-ups can help to monitor these risk factors. By making choices such as exercising, quitting smoking, and eating healthier, 80 percent of cardiac events in women may be prevented.