February is Heart Health Month
By: Gretchen Bolander
Updated: February 25, 2011
More than 600,000 Americans die from heart attacks a year according to federal statistics - but you don't have to be one of them. Freeman Dr. Robert Stauffer says, "The hard part of heart disease is sometimes the symptoms tend to vary, tend to be subtle at times, tend to mimic other organs."
He adds it ranges from the typical chest pain to much less common signs. "Often in the neck and jaw. Particularly women get it in the left arm - go down the right arm. Sometimes the pain will be in the back so it tends to be somewhat difficult to diagnose."
But he says it can be more noticeable in the winter. "The most important thing is if it's pain that comes on with exertion and goes away at rest."
All of which can be prevented. Dr. Stauffer points to lifestyle choices that can make a big impact. "The three major issues I see is getting your cholesterol under control. If you're diabetic, getting that treated appropriately. And absolutely no smoking because smoking is probably half of our business in this town particularly."
