By Kara Krekeler, Science & Technology Librarian, St. Louis Public Library
Having a healthy heart is key to living a healthy life. But how can you tell if your heart is healthy? And if it’s not, what can you do to make it healthy?
These are some of the questions the St. Louis Public Library and its community partners hope to answer on Tuesday, May 27, during a program called Cardio Health: Risks, Intervention and Prevention. The event, which features cardiologist Dr. Angela L. Brown and pharmacist Anastasia Armbruster, takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium at St. Louis Public Library’s Central Library, 1301 Olive St.
Brown is an associate professor of medicine in the cardiology division at Washington University School of Medicine and director of the school’s section on hypertension.
Armbruster is an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, and a clinical pharmacist specializing in cardiology and internal medicine at Missouri Baptist Medical Center.
The Library and its partners have chosen to focus on cardio health because it is something that affects everyone.
“It’s not just old people — it’s young people too,” Brown said. “This is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S.”
Brown and Armbruster will discuss what exactly constitutes heart disease, as well as risk factors and the lifestyle interventions that can decrease someone’s chances of developing heart disease. Brown said that she hopes people will feel empowered to take charge of their heart health, noting that there are things people can do to improve their overall heart health and live a good-quality life.
“It’s all about understanding your risk factors and knowing what you need to know to live that long, healthy life,” Brown said.
Fortunately, there are a lot that individuals can do to improve their heart health. Both Brown and Armbruster suggest simply talking to your doctor about your personal risks for heart disease, and making sure you get the right screenings.
Armbruster said, “Talk to your doctor about your risk. Have a yearly checkup, and ask about your blood pressure. Heart health is a big deal. It is important, and something you want to put at the forefront.”
Cardio Health: Risks, Intervention and Prevention is presented as part of The Can I Catch That? 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series is presented by St. Louis Public Library and its community partners: HealthStreet, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, and Washington University’s Bernard Becker Medical Library.
For more information on this and other health events at St. Louis Public Library, visit the Good Health Blog Spot at slplconsumerhealth.blogspot.com.