American Heart Month

Heart transplant patient Michael McFadden.

American Heart Month is celebrated every February to encourage men and women to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease, stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart attack and more.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Learn what you can do to stay healthy and avoid heart disease and discover the symptoms and how to spot them.

Are You at Risk?
Consult with your primary care physician if you think you might be at risk. Some common risk factors:

• Eat a diet high in saturated fat
• Family history of heart disease
• Have diabetes
• High LDL cholesterol or blood pressure
• Overweight
• Smoker

Spot the Symptoms
Some common symptoms of heart disease are:

• Heaviness, tightness, pressure and/or pain in the chest (behind the breastbone)
• Pain radiating in the arms, shoulders, jaw, neck and/or back
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness and fatigue

Staying Healthy
You can easily change your lifestyle to help prevent heart disease by following these three tips:

• Fit exercise into your life as often as you can (try out one of San Diego's walking paths or hiking trails to increase your aerobic activity)
• Follow a heart-healthy diet filled with fruit, vegetables and whole grains (find a healthy San Diego restaurant to try or a heart-healthy recipe)
• Quit smoking and eliminate all tobacco products

Patient Stories
Meet some of our heart and vascular patients, and read about their life-changing experiences.

	Debbie's Heart Transplant Story Follow Debbie's amazing story as she chronicles her experiences waiting for a heart, receiving a transplant and living her new life.
	John's Heart Pump Implantation Story The Sharp Memorial Hospital cardiac team gave John and his weakened heart a new start with a heart pump that has given him new opportunities in life.
	Mark's Cardiac Explant Story Read the amazing story behind one of the only cardiac explants in Southern California — the story of 41-year-old Mark Griffin.
	Richard and Norma's Cardiac Rehabilitation Story Richard and Norma were both having health problems and turned to Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center's Cardiac Rehabilitation Program to improve their heart health and their lives.

Encourage Awareness
Stay on top of your health and help your loved ones to do the same with these interactive tools and helpful information.

Sharp in the News

• New Application of Heart-Lung Bypass Is Saving Lives
  Emergency physicians at Sharp Memorial Hospital are the first in the nation, and among a handful in the world, to use a heart-lung bypass system to help patients arriving to the Emergency Department in complete cardiac arrest.
  
• New Clinical Trial at Sharp Memorial Investigates Possible Treatment for Chronic High Blood Pressure
  When multiple medications prove ineffective, patients with high blood pressure are currently left with few treatment options. Sharp Memorial Hospital is the first in San Diego to participate in Medtronic’s SYn>MPLICITY HTN-3 to test an experimental medical device that aims to lower high blood pressure by using radio frequency energy to disrupt hyperactive nerves that contribute to the condition.
  
• Powerful New Ultrasound Enables Doctors to Assess Heart Attack and Stroke Risk in Minutes
  By quickly and painlessly imaging a patient’s carotid artery with the new CardioHealth® Station, using the only FDA cleared automated IMT imaging device, doctors at Sharp Memorial Outpatient Pavilion aim to better assess risk and potentially help patients prevent a heart attack or stroke.
  
• Sharp Plays Key Role in Advanced Heart Failure Treatment Milestone
  Sharp Memorial Hospital has played a key role in a milestone event for the treatment of advanced heart failure (AHF) patients. The hospital is part of a global network of medical centers certified to implant the HeartMate II® Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) and more than 10,000 devices have been implanted worldwide.

Upcoming Classes and Events
Attend one of Sharp's classes, seminars, screenings or events — several of which are free — to increase your awareness and gain valuable information.

Find a San Diego Cardiologist
To find a Sharp-affiliated doctor, search for a San Diego cardiologist or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm.

For More Heart and Vascular Information
To find general information about heart and vascular care, visit Cardiovascular Diseases in Adult Health or read the Heart and Cardiovascular News archive.