UMass Memorial Offers Heart Smart Daily Reminders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 3, 2015
Contact: Anthony Berry
508-793-5394
anthony.berry@umassmemorial.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/umassmemorial

Worcester, Mass. - The numbers associated with heart disease are staggering and its impact has no boundaries affecting men, women and children. This month is American Heart Month and the Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence at UMass Memorial Medical Center (UMass Memorial) wants to help you take charge of your heart health by giving you a daily reminder. The organization has developed a heart month calendar with 28 tips – one for each day – to make you heart smart.

“When we look at the numbers associated with heart disease it is easy to get overwhelmed but once you realize many of these conditions are preventable it becomes obvious that education is key,” said John F. Keaney Jr., MD, medical director, Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence and

chief of cardiovascular medicine at UMass Memorial. “There are steps we can take each day to improve our cardiovascular health. It may be an adjustment in our eating habits, exercising more regularly or getting a health screening to determine if we are at risk. The bottom line is the smarter we are about the activities and behaviors that impact our cardiovascular condition the better for our overall heart health.” 

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) nationally someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds and a death occurs every minute of the day from a heart disease-related event. Coronary heart disease alone costs the United States $108.9 billion each year.This total includes the cost of health care services, medications and lost productivity. Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Massachusetts

The Heart Month Calendar is available on the UMass Memorial Heart and Vascular website. In addition to the calendar, patients and visitors can also submit a heart-related question to UMass Memorial cardiologists and nurses on the site.

American Heart Month was established in 1963 by President Lyndon B. Johnson and saw its first observance in February 1964. 

About UMass Memorial Health Care
UMass Memorial Health Care is the largest not-for-profit health care system in Central Massachusetts with more than 12,000 employees and 1,600 physicians, many of whom are members of UMass Memorial Medical Group. Our member hospitals and entities include Clinton Hospital, HealthAlliance Hospital, Marlborough Hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center and Community Healthlink, our behavioral health agency. With our teaching and research partner, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, our extensive primary care network and our cancer, diabetes, heart and vascular, and musculoskeletal programs, UMass Memorial delivers safe, high-quality and compassionate care.