February 1st is Wear Red Day to spread awareness about heart health.
The day kicks off American Heart Month which aims to inform Americans about the risk of heart disease.
Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S.
Doctors say prevention is key.
For optimal heart health avoid smoking, get physically active and have a heart healthy diet.
Getting regular checkups is important to make sure risk factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes are controlled and treated.
"Any kind of cardiac event, whether it be a heart attack or stroke, is going to limit you both functionally, and in most cases, reduce your life span," said Dr. Armaan Shaikh, an Interventional Cardiologist with Aurora BayCare Cardiology. "For people that love doing whatever it is that they love to do -- have family members, young kids, grand-kids -- spending time avoiding a major cardiac event is huge to continue to let them do those things."
Symptoms of heart disease include:
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Palpatations
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Fainting
For more information, click here.
