American Heart Month, a federally designated event, is an ideal time to remind Americans to focus on their hearts and encourage them to get their families, friends and communities involved.

• The first American Heart Month, which took place in February 1964, was proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson via Proclamation 3566 on December 30, 1963.
• The Congress, by joint resolution on that date, has requested the President to issue annually a proclamation designating February as American Heart Month.
• At that time, more than half the deaths in the U.S. were caused by cardiovascular disease.
• While American Heart Month is a federally designated month in the United States, it’s important to realize that cardiovascular disease knows no borders. Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading global cause of death with more than 17.9 million deaths each year.
• That number is expected to rise to more than 23.6 million by 2030.

About 2,300 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day, an average of 1 death every 38 seconds. While you can’t change things like age and family history, the good news is that even modest changes to your diet and lifestyle can improve your heart health and lower your risk by as much as 80 percent. The biggest part of living healthy comes down to simply making healthy choices.

Donate to the American Heart Association, or any of the Community Health Partner Charities, through our giving portal.