Heart Health Awareness: February and Every Day

At the heart of it, you are the center of your full life – from the responsibilities you carry, to those you care for—who love and depend on you each day, your friends, and so much more.

PacMed wants to help your achieve your heart health goals, so you can continue to keep pace with your life.

Our experienced primary care doctors and cardiologists are here to partner with you and your loved ones to care for your heart.

PacMed doctors monitor the trends and listen to you, providing the care you need to keep showing up to everything else in your life.

Meet our team of cardiology physicians.

Learn about our state-of-the-art nuclear cardiology lab, noninvasive diagnostics and more.

Why is heart health important?

Heart disease continues to be a leading cause of death in the United States, for both men and women. It is responsible for 2,300 fatalities each day. More than 30 million people are diagnosed with heart disease, or 12% of our adult population.

What are the risk factors?

High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. About half of Americans (47%) have at least one of these three risk factors.

More than 650,000 Americans die of heart disease each year. That’s one in every four deaths in this country.

Heart disease can happen at any age, but the risk goes up as you age.

Some risk factors for heart disease cannot be controlled, such as your age or family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk by changing the factors you can control.

Every year, about 805,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these,

  • 605,000 are a first heart attack
  • 200,000 happen to people who have already had a heart attack
  • About 1 in 5 heart attacks are silent—the damage is done, but the person is not aware of it.

African Americans have a higher risk—for heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure—than for other racial or ethnic groups. According to the American Heart Association, African Americans ages 35-64 are 50% more likely to have high blood pressure. Hispanic women also have a heightened risk for these cardiovascular-related health concerns.

How can I improve my heart health?

Looking for additional resources:

Download our printable Heart Health wallet card and record your numbers.

Download the American Heart Association flyer: What About African Americans and High Blood Pressure.

Statistics courtesy of www.cdc.gov.