Heart Health Fun Facts And Tips

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Also Included In: Smoking / Quit Smoking;  Nutrition / Diet;  MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Article Date: 14 Feb 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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Heart disease is the number one killer of adults in the U.S. February is Heart Month and the heart and circulation experts at the American Society of Echocardiography want to help Washingtonians learn how to take better care of their hearts.

Here are some simple tips and fun facts to get started on building and maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle. Heart ultrasound is a proven, safe and fast way your doctor can evaluate your heart's health.

Visit http://www.SeeMyHeart.org during February to learn more and to enter to win an iPod pre-loaded with iWorkout.

Be heart SMART

-- Stop smoking! It's one of the best things you can do for your heart - not to mention the rest of your body.

-- Maintain a healthy weight. Eat a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

-- Activity is important. Get regular exercise to strengthen your heart.

-- Reduce stress. Life's too short to worry about everything.

-- Talk to your doctor. He/she is your partner in building and maintaining a healthy heart.

What Does Heart Ultrasound Do?

-- Sees the structure of your heart and checks for problems
-- Examines how blood flows through your heart
-- Evaluates your heart before major surgery
-- Measures the size and thickness of your heart and its chambers
-- Yields information on the valves of your heart
-- Helps show if you have a heart murmur
-- Explores problems with the heart muscle
-- Assesses damage to your heart after a heart attack
-- Rules out abnormalities in your heart
-- Tests your heart's response to exercise

The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) is a professional non- profit organization of physicians, cardiac sonographers, nurses and scientists involved in echocardiography, the use of ultrasound to image the heart and cardiovascular system. These heart and circulation specialists are dedicated to improving their patients' health and quality of life. The organization was founded in 1975 and has more than 11,000 members nationally and internationally.

American Society of Echocardiography
http://www.SeeMyHeart.org