February marks American Heart Month and doctors at a Bronx hospital are reminding patients about the risks to heart health.

 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death across the country and in New York, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A 2017 study by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene found that the disease accounts for 22% of all deaths in the Bronx.

 

Doctors say some of the signs to look out for are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity.

 

Staff members at Montefiore Health System's cardiovascular department came to work decked out in red Friday, in recognition of National Wear Red Day. The annual initiative, which falls on the first Friday of February, is an opportunity to educate patients about heart disease.

 

"In the Bronx, we have a higher instance of these diseases. People are working, people are just meeting everyday needs. And they might not go to a cardiologist for prevention," said Leandro Slipczuk, the section head of clinical cardiology at Montefiore. "We know that if you treat it early, it's easy to treat and you need less medications. If you wait until you have a heart attack then you need a lot more medications and it's a lot harder to treat."

 

Doctors encourage patients to reach out to a medical professional as soon as possible if you are experiencing any symptoms or discomfort.