Health & Exercise

Awareness & Education During American Heart Month

While the arrival of February means it’s time to bestow hearts on your Valentine’s Day sweetie, the Parkview Heart Institute encourages residents to also reflect on their own heart health and lifestyle improvements that will keep you lub-dubbing all year long.

February is American Heart Month and once again, Parkview is offering multiple opportunities this year for patients to learn more about heart-healthy habits and resources available to evaluate and improve their cardiovascular health.

“Your heart is the engine that keeps your body going, and like any engine, taking good care of it is important to getting the best performance and longest life,” said Dr. Roy Robertson, president, Parkview Heart Institute, and specialty service lines. “Decreased heart function can have a severe negative impact on your quality of life, but patients can play an active role in preventing heart disease and chronic conditions. Adopting a healthy diet, exercising regularly and quitting tobacco all help to ensure your heart works stronger for longer.”

The Parkview Heart Institute, which is in alliance with the Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, is offering multiple education and awareness opportunities during February – and throughout the year.

Cleveland Clinic surveys Americans about heart health every year and this year’s survey revealed that patients are optimistic about the role new technology can have in improving heart health, but still want physicians to be the ones giving final health advice. About 3 in 5 Americans believe that artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to better heart care and two thirds said they would be comfortable seeking heart health advice from an AI chatbot. That being said, 89% of respondents said they would want to seek a doctor’s advice before acting on any AI recommendations.

Technology has also become an important part of healthcare for many people, with half of Americans using at least one device to monitor their health. About 60% of Americans track their daily step count and just over half monitor their heart rate, while others use wearable devices or apps to track burned calories, monitor their sleep, measure blood pressure, and get motivated to meet health goals. Technology has helped about 4 in 5 Americans enact positive changes to their physical or mental health by helping them exercise more regularly, walk more, sleep more or improve their eating habits.

The survey was conducted as part of Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute’s “Love your Heart” consumer education campaign in celebration of American Heart Month. Cleveland Clinic has been nationally ranked as a top hospital in the country for cardiology and cardiac surgery for nearly three decades. For more information, go to: clevelandclinic.org/loveyourheart.

Throughout the month of February and beyond, Parkview Heart Institute will host a series of events aimed at increasing awareness of heart disease and encouraging healthy habits. This year’s offerings include:

  • Feb. 22: Hot Heart Topics 2024. Join Dr. Alexander Urban, Parkview Physicians Group – Cardiology, on Feb. 22 for a discussion on how to screen for heart disease, the importance of knowing your risk factors and what to do. Doors to this free event at the Parkview Mirro Center open at 5 p.m. and Dr. Urban’s presentation begins at 6 p.m. To register, visit www.parkview.com/hothearttopics.
  • Heart health resources from Parkview. Follow the Parkview Blog (parkview.com/blog) and Parkview social media channels on Facebook and X for posts on heart-related topics throughout the month.
  • Her Heart Challenge applications. The Parkview Heart Institute will be accepting applications for the Her Heart Challenge, a program connecting women in our communities with resources to improve their health. Participants will attend weekly sessions in August and get free lab work, opportunities for activity and access to health experts. Participants will be selected in June. Applications can be found online at www.parkview.com/herheartchallenge.
  • Save the date: April 25 – Love Your Heart Expo. The annual Love Your Heart Expo will return to the Parkview Mirro Center this spring. More details will be released soon. To sign up for a reminder email when registration opens, visit parkview.com/loveyourheart.
The Waynedale News Staff

The Waynedale News Staff

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