Northern Light Health to ‘Go Red’ for women’s heart health on Friday

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Each year, one in four deaths are caused by heart disease. For this reason, Northern Light Health is joining the American Heart Association and others nationally for American Heart Month throughout the month of February.

Northern Light Health hospitals from Portland to Presque Isle will “Go Red for Women,” encouraging employees and all Mainers to wear red on Friday, Feb. 5 to help raise awareness of heart disease, particularly among women.

There are definite early warning signs and symptoms of heart attacks. Women can experience all, some, a few, or none of the following symptoms: shortness of breath, nausea, unusual or extreme fatigue, breaking out in a cold sweat, chest pain or discomfort, lightheadedness or dizziness and upper body discomfort (jaw, neck, back pain).

Knowing these heart attack symptoms could mean the difference between life and death. The sooner appropriate action is taken, the better the odds are for survival and decreased complications following a heart attack.

All Northern Light Health organizations encourage Mainers to move to the rhythm of a healthier heart. To learn more and for additional useful resources including healthy recipes, videos, and more, visit northernlighthealth.org/heart-health. For more information about Go Red for Women go to northernlighthealth.org/Heart-Health/Wear-Red.