Did you know that Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America? Every year, over 715,000 Americans suffer a heart attack. Did you also know that heart disease is preventable and controllable? February is national heart month and what better time to learn about the symptoms of a heart attack. A heart attack is characterized by pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back, feeling weak, light-headed, or faint, chest pain or discomfort, pain or discomfort in arms or shoulder and shortness of breath. If you think that someone is having a heart attack call 9-1-1 immediately. Another thing that can be done to help someone in need is to learn basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). After calling 9-1-1, CPR is the best way to help save the life of someone who has had a heart attack. One way that McLeod is helping to protect our community is by offering the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Friends and Family CPR course. The McLeod Resource Center has partnered with McLeod Sports Medicine Certified Athletic Trainer and AHA CPR Instructor Brian Lowe to offer Friends and Family CPR to expectant mothers and their families. Getting trained in CPR is one of the easiest things that can be done to make a difference in an emergency situation involving a heart attack.

There are also many risk factors that can be controlled to decrease the risk of heart disease. Some of these actions are to eat healthy, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, refrain from smoking and monitor your blood pressure. While these activities cannot completely prevent heart disease, they can drastically decrease the risk of a heart attack. For more information on heart disease or to find CPR classes in your area, visit the American Heart Association Website at www.heart.org. More information about the McLeod Resource Center and McLeod Sports Medicine can be found at www.McLeodHealth.org.

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