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Tuesday, February 03, 2009

UMC Honors Women and Celebrates American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month. The American Heart Association says cardiovascular disease kills 870,000 Americans every year. That’s one life every 36 seconds. 460,000 women die every year from heart disease. That’s one mother, daughter or sister dying every minute.

“More women actually die from heart disease than from breast cancer,” says Joy Guideng, UMC’s Director of Cardiovascular Services. That’s why the American Heart Association, and Congress, have proclaimed February American Heart Month. And, UMC is taking an active role in educating our community about how to prevent heart disease.

Friday, February 6th is Go Red for Women Day. To help bring awareness to heart disease, both women and men are encouraged to wear red, in hopes that people will learn what they can do to prevent heart disease. Making simple lifestyle changes such as eating baked foods instead of fried foods, taking the stairs instead of using the elevator, and understanding your risk factors can all help
your heart live a healthier life.

On February 6th, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm UMC’s Cardiac Care Team will be at Macy’s in Fashion Show Mall to do free blood pressure screenings, as well as provide complimentary advice on how women can lower their risk of having a heart attack. Keeping a journal, walking with friends and planning meals in advance are all ways women can cut down their stress and boost their energy level,
increasing their chances of beating heart disease.

Women and men experience heart attacks differently, which is why women need to know the warning signs. “Women tend to not want to bother others, they don’t want to bother their husband or their children, so they suffer with chest pain excusing it as something like indigestion. When in fact it is a true heart attack, they are wasting time at home by not getting the emergency care they need,” says
Dr. Chowdhury Ahsan, Director of UMC’s Cardiac Cath Lab and Cardiovascular Research.

Members of our Cardiac Care Team are available for interviews on how to prevent and treat heart disease, and explain why women should be especially vigilant in taking care of themselves.

For more information, or to set up interviews, please contact Danita Cohen, Public Relations Coordinator at UMC, by calling 702-383-3987 or emailing danita.cohen@umcsn.com.

UMC is the only public, non-profit hospital in Clark ounty and operates the state’s only Level I Trauma Center, Level II Pediatric Trauma, and Lions Burn Care Center. The hospital offers the highest level of care in a 10,000-mile radius. UMC is affiliated with the University of Nevada School of Medicine and serves as the state’s major clinical campus. Through its affiliation with the School of Medicine, residency programs in emergency medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, family practice, general surgery and pediatrics are offered at UMC. UMC operates several Quick Care and Primary Care clinics around Clark County. UMC is home to several specialty service lines including orthopedics, pediatrics,
neonatology, cardiology, neurology, and oncology, among others. Visit www.umcsn.com for more information.

Contact Information:
Danita Cohen
(702) 383-3987
Danita.Cohen@umcsn.com
University Medical Center
1800 West Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89102