heart disease

You may have high blood pressure and not even know it.  After all, you can't feel your blood pressure even when it is too high.  That's why it is called the silent killer.  How do you know what your blood pressure is?  If you get regular check-ups you probably have an idea of your BP range but it can change quickly and without warning.  We recommend that everyone have access to an accurate home monitor to check for high blood pressure at home.  

There is a good chance that you will personally witness a cardiac arrest in your lifetime.  For me, that's enough of a reason to hope that everyone knows CPR (especially the guy standing next to me if I suddenly drop dead).  Without it, you have little chance of surviving a heart-stopping arrest. 

Here are some disturbing statistics published by the American Heart Association.  Much of this is taken from Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics - 2009 Update.

 Here is a summary of "Risk Factors for Heart Disease" from the American Heart Association:

People die every day because they ignore the signs of a heart attack.  They don't want to "bother" anyone, or they thought the symptoms would just go away.  Here's the deal, though... you never know for sure and it's not worth guessing.  Personally, I'd rather be sent home with a prescription for GasX than be sent home in a box.

Valentine's Day and President's Day aren't the only holidays we'll be celebrating this month. February is American Heart Month! Cross my heart.