Hundreds of staff, employees, and community residents participated in heart-healthy activities throughout the Mount Sinai Health System, an annual effort in February, Heart Health Month, to educate individuals about the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Nearly 500 participants received free screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and body mass index at one of the largest Heart Health events in New York City: The Mount Sinai Hospital’s annual Community Health Fair, which was held Friday, February 7, in celebration of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women® initiative.
Red attire and heart-shaped balloons brought a festive atmosphere to Guggenheim Pavilion as volunteers provided screenings and handed out literature on topics such as nutrition and diet, diabetes, stress-management techniques, and smoking-cessation programs, and presented heart-healthy food tastings. “The Mount Sinai nurses, faculty, and staff who volunteer to conduct screenings and interact with participants have helped turn this event into a great success,” says Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, Vice President of Clinical Operations for Mount Sinai Heart.
“This year’s heart fair attracted not only staff, but a significant number of people from the community who wanted to learn about heart health and cardiac risks, which demonstrates the impact that Mount Sinai is having with local residents,” says Mary Ann McLaughlin, MD, MPH, Medical Director of the Cardiac Health Program at Mount Sinai Heart.
Women’s Heart New York, Mount Sinai Health System’s multisite comprehensive heart program for women, sponsored a “Love Your Heart” wellness fair, Go Red® activities, and lectures at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. “We brought together our top medical and wellness professionals from various Mount Sinai Health System sites,” says Sarah Trignano, Program Coordinator for Women’s Heart New York.
Among them was Jacqueline Tamis-Holland, MD, Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West. “Women, especially, need to know that their symptoms of heart disease may be different from men’s, and that they are often undertreated,” she explained in a lecture.
Heart health activities will continue throughout February.
Although it is great that many organizations have used February’s status as Heart Health Month to host programs that raise awareness of heart disease and heart health, we shouldn’t just limit these activities to just one month a year. Creating conversations about heart health year round can help patients create and stick to plans focused on cardiovascular health.