ICHD wear red to support women's heart health

MERCER, Wis. - Friday is national "Wear Red Day" as part of the "Go Red for Women" initiative to help fight the number one killer of women, heart disease.

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is more deadly in women than all forms of cancer combined, and causes one of three women's deaths each year.

An estimated 43 million women in the U.S. are affected by heart disease, and one woman dies every minute from the disease.

Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing the disease and women comprise only 24 percent of participants in all heart-related studies.

Heart attacks occur when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked by a build-up of plaque in coronary arteries.

Symptoms of heart attacks can differ between men and women. The most common symptoms are uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.

Other symptoms include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach, shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort, breaking out in cold sweats, nausea or lightheadedness.

"Join us on Feb. 7 by wearing red, and on Feb. 8 at the Mercer Heart Healthy Brunch to learn more about heart disease and how to stay healthy," said Zona Wick, Iron County health officer.

The brunch is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Mercer Community Center.

Pre-registration is required.

To learn more about heart disease, call the Iron County Health Department at 715-561-2191, or to register for the Mercer Heart Healthy Brunch, call Gerri Reynolds at 715-476-3720.

-Cortney Ofstad