ProMedica Celebrates Heart Month

February will have a lot more red than green at ProMedica facilities as it draws attention to a health issue the American Heart Association reports is the number one killer in the United States. 

“Heart disease is the top killer of men and women, so it’s something all of us need to take very seriously,” said Lori Johnston, president of Paramount and the 2021 American Heart Association Go Red for Women chair. “During this month, we will work to bring awareness to heart disease, to share the warning signs and provide local resources that are available to everyone.”

Northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan mirror the rest of the country when it comes to the impact of heart disease. In Lucas County alone, heart disease and stroke accounted for 35 percent of deaths from 2016 – 2018, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The 2019-2020 Lucas County Health Assessment found that 29 percent of Lucas County adults had been diagnosed with high blood pressure, 27 percent had high blood cholesterol, 38 percent were obese, and 15 percent were smokers — four known risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

To reverse this trend, ProMedica and the American Heart Association encourage the community to go red and take charge of heart health in the following ways:

• Schedule an appointment with your health provider: Learn about your health status and risk factors.
• Get active: The American Heart Association recommends getting at least two hours and 30-minutes of moderate physical activity each week.
• Eat healthily: A heart-healthy diet is rich in fruit, vegetables, fiber and whole grains and low in sodium.
• Know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and stroke: Heart attack symptoms differ in men and women, and time is brain when it comes to a stroke. Call 911. Learn hands-only CPR.

“We really want to raise awareness, especially right now during a pandemic, that it is so important to seek medical treatment right away if you are having heart attack symptoms,” said William Colyer, MD, ProMedica Physicians Cardiology. “Delaying care could further damage your heart. The safest place to be if you are experiencing symptoms is at the hospital.”

Heart attack symptoms often involve chest discomfort, pain or discomfort in one or both arm or the jaw, shortness of breath and lightheadedness.

ProMedica is encouraging its employees to wear red for National Wear Red Day on Feb. 5 to specifically raise awareness of heart disease in women.

ProMedica HealthConnect, ProMedica’s health and wellness website, as well as ProMedica’s social media accounts, will feature a series of heart-related articles and videos and heart-healthy recipes.