02/25/2026
February is American Heart Month
📌We observe American Heart Month every February because every year more than 600,000 Americans die from heart disease. The number one cause of deaths for most groups, heart disease affects all ages, genders, and ethnicities. Risk factors include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and excessive alcohol use.
📌You can take an active role in reducing your risk for heart disease by eating a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity, and managing your cholesterol and blood pressure.
❤️Heart attacks can be silent
One in five heart attacks occurs without the person even knowing they had one.
❤️Heart attacks affect women differently
Women may experience different symptoms than men. These include pain in the back, arm, neck, or shoulder; nausea; fatigue; shortness of breath; and vomiting.
❤️Young women are at higher risk than men. Women under the age of 50 are twice as likely to die of a heart attack as men in the same age group.
❤️Another reason to hate Mondays
Heart attacks are more likely to occur on Monday mornings than other days of the week. Scientists attribute this to the disruption in our circadian rhythm over the weekend which leads to increased blood pressure and other changes to the nervous system.
❤️Diet soda raises heart attack risk
If you drink one or more diet sodas a day, your chances of having a heart attack are 43% higher than those who drink regular soda or none at all.
❤️American Heart Month motivates us to examine our own health habits and risks and take steps to improve our heart health.
For more information, visit https://www.heart.org/
