February is American Heart Month  

Wear red on Feb. 7 to support women’s heart health 

SANTA FE – Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and most racial and ethnic groups in the United States and the leading cause of death of New Mexicans in 2022.  

“This February we are encouraging New Mexicans to take steps to protect their heart health,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, chief medical officer for the New Mexico Department of Health. “And on February 7, join us in wearing red to raise awareness about heart disease and to support the many women who are impacted by it.” 

High blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease and nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure. In New Mexico, 31.8% of the population had high blood pressure in 2021. 

There are steps New Mexicans can take to lower their risk of high blood pressure and heart disease: 

 

• Eat healthy: Choose healthy meal and snack options including plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as foods high in fiber and protein. Avoid too much salt and saturated fat. 
• Keep yourself at a healthy weight: Being overweight increases your risk of high blood pressure. 
• Be physically active: Every week adults should get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or bicycling.  
• No smoking: Smoking, even occasionally, raises your blood pressure and puts you at a higher risk for heart attack and stroke. 
• Limit alcohol intake: Too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure.  
• Get enough sleep: Getting a healthy amount of sleep, seven to eight hours a night, helps keep your heart and blood vessels healthy. 

 

For more information about heart disease visit the Centers for Disease Control and for more information about wear red day visit Go Red for Women.