February is American Heart Month

  • This is the 56th time the United States has observed American Heart Month and one local cardiologist says it is time to focus on the younger generation.
  • Dr. Phillip V. Bacidore, who sees patients at Lawrence County Memorial Hospital each Wednesday, says it’s as important to educate the younger generation so coronary disease can be prevented, not just treated.
  • “Our children need to be thinking about eating better, watching their weight and choosing not to smoke,” said Bacidore, a native of the Peru area in LaSalle County. “They need to exercise. They need to practice all of the things we harp on adults about. We need to be worried about those who already have the disease, but it would be nice to try and prevent it, too.”
  • According to the Center for Disease Control, one American dies every 37 seconds from cardiovascular disease. Nearly 650,000 Americans die from the disease each year, which amounts to one in four deaths.
  • Bacidore stresses the need for the public to know, that in spite of advancements that have been made, heart disease “is still the No. 1 killer in our country.”
  • To learn more about American Heart Month and Dr. Bacidore, click here!