About Us Editor’s Note By Leah Ingram Eagle

While February is widely known for Valentine’s Day, it is also recognized as American Heart Month as a time to focus on cardiovascular health.

According to the American Heart Association, 84 million people in the U.S. suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes or other serious complications.

Although my dad has had some heart events over the years, and has had several stents put in place, I had never given much thought to my own heart health until recently.

Last fall, I began experiencing rapid heart beats, which I thought may be related to anxiety or stress.

After a few weeks of symptoms, I decided it was time to make an appointment with my primary care physician. He ordered a myriad of tests, and I wore a heart monitor for two weeks.

When all the results came back, this is what we found out:

► The CT results showed no evidence of any coronary calcium (no radiographic evidence of early heart disease).

► Echocardiogram results showed everything was within normal limits

► Heart monitor results showed occasional atrial tachycardia and possibly ventricular tachycardia.

The next step was to follow up with a cardiologist. I booked an appointment with my dad’s doctor, since he's been seeing him well over a decade. We went over all my prior test results, and he decided it would be best if I take a low dose of Metoprolol. While it is often prescribed for high blood pressure, it also slows down your heart rate and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body.

Since starting the prescription, I’ve only had my symptoms a few times. I go back in April for a follow-up appointment. So this month (and every month), I encourage everyone to take good care of your hearts, and if you experience anything out of the ordinary, pay a visit to your doctor.