Adena takes part in ‘Go Red’ campaign

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CHILLICOTHE — Adena Health System is joined the American Heart Association’s (AHA) ‘Go Red for Women’ campaign, hoping to raise awareness about heart disease. The AHA says heart disease is the number one cause of death for women in the U.S.

This year’s official “Go Red” day was Friday, Feb. 5, 2016. To mark awareness all month long, the Carlisle Building’s tower is illuminated in red lighting through the month of February, serving as a reminder to our community to pay attention to their overall heart health. Adena President and CEO Mark Shuter, said heart disease is a problem in the region, but is a disease that is preventable.

“Heart disease is widespread in our region,” Shuter said. “The majority of us know of someone diagnosed with, or have lost someone to heart disease. But in most cases, heart disease is preventable. A healthy diet and exercise, along with regular medical visits with your primary care provider can make a big difference.”

According to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), heart disease accounts for 37 percent of all deaths in the state. The counties having the highest mortality rates are those located in southern Ohio and Ohio’s Appalachian Region.

Cindi Remy, Communications Specialist for Adena Regional Medical Center, said it is all about awareness.

“We had the Adena Regional Medical Center we encouraged everyone to wear red to raise awareness. Through out the month of February we are going to be doing a lot of awareness through social media,” Remy said. “We are going to be posting stories, and talking about easy changes you can make to improve your health, and some of the important information you can think about when it comes to your health your heart history, and your family’s history.”

Adena provides a host of services concerning heart health as well as information.

“We are also going to be talking about a lot of the procedures and services that we offer for heart health, and the importance of getting your annuals done with your primary care physician,” she said. “There will be discussions about the causes of heart disease, about things that are controlling, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and how they affect your risk for heart disease.”

Adena Regional Center will also have a contest during the course of the month as incentive for healthy living by visiting the Adena Regional Medical Center Facebook page.

“We are encouraging people to take a picture of some healthy habit that they have, perhaps something such as cooking a healthy dinner with the family, or trying a healthy fruit or vegetable,” Remy said. “If they post that picture on our Facebook page with a hashtag, love your heart, they will have a chance to win a FitBit.”

Though family health history plays a part in a person’s health, good living habits can also make a difference, Remy said.

“Our purpose is to get the awareness out there about the risk factors, and let people know that, even though family history plays such a large part in heart disease, you also have a lot of control over that,” Remy said. “Just because your grandfather, or your mother has heart disease, your risk is higher than other people’s. However, by exercising and eating right, watching your blood pressure, watching your cholesterol, and not smoking, you help to decrease that risk. A person’s behaviors really play into that, and that is the message that we want to get out there.”

The American Heart Association began its Go Red for Women campaign in 2002 to raise awareness for heart disease among women. The American Heart Association says heart disease and stroke cause one in three deaths among women each year, killing approximately one woman every 80 seconds. More deadly than all cancers combined, 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.

Go Red Day is also a time to remind women, often the family caretaker, to make her own heart health a priority and to schedule a Well-Woman Visit with a primary care provider. In a well visit, the PCP will check blood pressure, cholesterol and other factors that impact heart health.

Adena Health System makes it easy for men and women to find a primary care provider (PCP) with its 779-FIND program. Simply call 740-779-FIND and be matched with a PCP. By the end of the call, the person will have an appointment scheduled with a new PCP.

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The Adena Regional Medical Center staff in Chillicothe participated in the Go Red Campaign for Women’s Heart Health on Friday, Feb. 5
http://portsmouth-dailytimes.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2016/02/web1_booth.jpgThe Adena Regional Medical Center staff in Chillicothe participated in the Go Red Campaign for Women’s Heart Health on Friday, Feb. 5

By Portia Williams

[email protected]

Reach Portia Williams at 740-353-3101, ext. 1929, or on Twitter @PortiaWillPDT.

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