CINCINNATI (WKRC) – February marks National Heart Health Awareness Month, and healthcare providers are urging individuals to prioritize their heart health. The Christ Hospital and the American Heart Association are sharing crucial information as part of the Go Red for Women campaign.

Stephanie Lambdin from the American Heart Association said, “Go Red for Women is a movement that started over 20 years ago when the American Heart Association realized that we need to focus more on women’s heart health.”

Lambdin emphasized the importance of this focus, noting that historically, heart research was predominantly conducted on men. “We are not little men running around, and unfortunately, prior to about 30 years ago, research was only done on male hearts,” she said.

Nicole Mullins, a nurse practitioner at The Christ Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, highlighted the severity of cardiovascular disease among women. “Cardiovascular disease, as you mentioned, is one of the number one killers amongst women, particularly African American women,” Mullins said. She stressed the importance of understanding how risk factors change over a woman’s lifetime, from childbearing years through menopause.

To mitigate these risks, Mullins advised women to “know your numbers,” including blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and to be aware of factors that may increase heart disease risk. She also pointed out the impact of social determinants of health, such as food instability, housing insecurity, and economic instability, which can contribute to stress and affect heart health.

National Go Red Day is set for Friday, February 7. The public is encouraged to wear red to raise awareness of heart disease, the leading cause of death among women.