Dixie Regional hosts heart health education series
By Terri Draper
February is National Heart Health Awareness Month, and Intermountain Dixie Regional Medical Center is providing a month-long series of presentations in support of the national effort to increase heart health by increasing awareness. The heart health education series classes are free to the public and will be held each Thursday in February from 4 to 5 p.m. in the SelectHealth Auditorium at 1424 E Foremaster Drive in St. George.
“The lecture series provides opportunities to generate discussion about ways you and your family can prevent heart disease,” said Dr. Blake Gardner, who directs structural heart programs at Dixie Regional. “It also helps bring awareness to the resources that are available at Dixie Regional, should you be faced with a heart disease battle of your own.”
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Each year, one out of four deaths are caused by heart disease. The good news is heart disease can be prevented with healthy choices and help from medical providers who treat and manage health conditions.
“Prevention is the first thing,” said Dr. Carrie Willis, a cardiologist specializing in heart failure prevention and treatment. “Controlling blood pressure, eating a healthy diet, exercising every day as able, and not smoking will greatly lower your risk of heart attack or heart disease. You don’t need to see a doctor to do these things and it’s never too late to start.”
Featured speakers include Drs. Gardner and Willis as well as other doctors and professionals from Dixie Regional’s cardiovascular services team. Here is the schedule:
—Feb. 7: Steve Mason, “Advances in Cardiac Imaging”
—Feb. 14: Dr. Blake Gardner, “Advances in Heart Valve Treatment”
—Feb. 21: Dr. Arne Olsen, “Vascular Health”
—Feb. 28: Dr. Carrie Willis, “Women’s Heart Health”
“Decades ago, primarily what we knew about heart disease and heart attacks was that we would give an aspirin and nitroglycerin and say, ‘Good luck riding out that storm,’” Willis said. “That treatment has evolved to amazing technology in heart surgery, as well as leaps and bounds in medication. This is not necessarily something that is a death sentence.”
For more information about heart health or the series call (435) 251-2159 or go to intermountainhealthcare.org/loveyourheart.
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