The Numbers…

February is National Heart Month, and a good opportunity to learn as much as you can about your heart. It’s even more important to know what you can do to lower the risk of heart disease—and then do it.

Heart disease is the number one killer of American men and women in the United States. Every year, about 790,000 Americans have a heart attack, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of these cases, 580,000 are a first heart attack and 210,000 happen to people who’ve already had a first heart attack.

More than 610,000 people die each year from heartrelated diseases and more than half of those deaths are males, according to CDC.

In Georgia, 136,000 years of potential life is lost because of cardiovascular disease, which includes all diseases of the heart and blood vessels. In 2013 alone, the related cost in Georgia was $6.1 billion, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

…And What to Do About Them

High blood pressure has a habit of sneaking up on people. While few symptoms are felt, the condition can be destructive to blood vessels. Such damage may lead to serious health problems over time. In fact, high blood pressure has been known as “the silent killer” for many years.

There are several things you can do to keep your numbers from creeping up and to help lower the risk from damage from elevated or high blood pressure.

For example, using prescribed medications correctly and making positive lifestyle changes can help, say American Heart Association experts. They also suggest that you maintain a healthy weight and get more active, eat healthier foods, reduce sodium intake and limit alcohol.

This advice also helps to reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and more.

Routine blood pressure checks are also important for prevention. If you’re a busy person, it may not always be easy to make an appointment with a healthcare professional. Here are a few places you can have your blood pressure checked to make sure your numbers stay at or under 120/80.

■ Sandy Springs residents can visit any of the four fire stations in the city to have their blood pressure checked at no charge by an EMT and/or paramedic. No appointment is necessary. Find details and a list of fire stations at sandyspringsga.gov.

■ DeKalb County, Fulton County and Gwinnett County residents can also visit their local fire stations to have their blood pressure checked. Appointments are not required and there is no fee. A list of stations is available at dekalbcountyga.gov, fultoncountyga.gov and gwinnettcounty.com.

■ Check with your local pharmacist. Some have blood pressure stations for your convenience; in other cases, a pharmacist can help you. Certain pharmacies offer this as a free service.

Walk with a doc

“Walk with a Doc” is a nonprofit organization with a mission to encourage healthy physical activity in people of all ages. Healthy snacks, coffee and blood pressure checks are also a standard part of Dunwoody’s “Walk with a Doc” program. Head to Brook Run Park, 4770 N. Peachtree Road, Dunwoody 30338 on the second Saturday of every month. The walk goes from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact Rachel Waldon at rachel.waldron@dunwoodyga. gov for details, or learn more at walkwithadoc.org.