February is our favorite month of the year here at Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons (CTVS) in Austin.
We love to show appreciation for our family, friends and patients in honor of American Heart Month.
American Heart Month is a nationally designated event each February to bring awareness to and share the power of prevention in combating heart disease.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease, or cardiovascular disease, includes a range of conditions that affect blood vessels, arteries, and heart rhythm. Heart disease also includes congenital heart defects, or those that are present at birth. Some of these conditions can be fatal or lead to life-altering physical and mental damage, such as a heart attack or stroke.
Here’s a snapshot of heart disease in America:
- One person dies approximately every 37 seconds in the United States from heart disease.
- About 647,000 people die from it annually in the United States.
- The United States spends an estimated $219 billion each year on health care services, medicines, and lost productivity due to death directly related to heart disease.
Some risk factors that can lead to heart disease are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity.
At CTVS, we believe that the best protection against heart disease is preventing it in the first place.
Four ways to help your heart:
- Don’t smoke, or speak with your physician on resources to help you quit.
- Eat a healthy diet that is low in sodium, saturated and trans-fats, processed foods, and excess sugars.
- Stay active and commit to regular exercise for at least 150 minutes per week.
- Manage existing conditions like high blood pressure and cholesterol with your doctor and take medications as directed.
At CTVS, we love nothing more than helping you take care of your ticker!
In honor of American Heart Month, CTVS’ own board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. W. Chance Conner will be attending the annual Heart Patient Reunion at the Heart Hospital of Austin at St. David’s Round Rock on Saturday, February 25. This event takes place each year to reunite open-heart surgery patients with the medical professionals who helped save their lives.
“Along with the other nurses and cardiology staff members, we love the chance to reconnect with our patients who we have gotten to know so intimately while treating them,” says Dr. Conner. “Getting to visit with them and see how they’re thriving after such serious circumstances is tremendously rewarding.”
To schedule an appointment with any one of our board-certified cardiothoracic or vascular specialists, please visit ctvstexas.com or call us at (512) 459-8753.
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