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Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

Laredo, TX – In honor of National Awareness Day for Heart Disease in Women the City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD) will be highlighting the importance of heart disease prevention in women.  All women who visit the Health Department on Friday, February 5, 2010 will be given a brochure with information about heart disease and a heart magnet with the City of Laredo Health Department address and phone number.  Additionally, Health Department staff has been asked to wear red in support of for the Spread The Heart Truth^® on National Wear Red Day^® campaign.

 Heart disease prevention is particularly important to Laredoans as many do not access early detection. Women in particular will leave their care to the last and assure that children and other family members are seen first. This is why we want to highlight the importance of early detection services especially heart disease prevention and in particular for women.

 Tomorrow we are noting that while heart disease is the leading cause of death for women 65 and older, it’s the third leading cause of death for women 25 to 44, and the second leading cause of death for women 45 to 64.  Women under the age of 65 who have a family history of heart disease should pay particularly close attention to the heart disease risk factors.  Still, all women, of all ages, should take heart disease seriously and make sure that they get their early detection services and see their doctor annually.

 Therefore the City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD) is recommending the following action to reduce women’s risk of heart disease:

· Exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day on most days of the week.

· Maintain a healthy weight.

· Quit or don’t start smoking.

· Eat a diet that’s low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.

· Limit alcohol use.

· Have your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure checked.

· Talk to your health care provider.