Heart health during American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month, which raises awareness about the 2,300 Americans who die of cardiovascular disease daily. It is the leading global cause of death.

Dr. Anu Shivaraju, a cardiologist with Advocate Heart Institute, visited ABC7 to talk about symptoms, risk factors and how to keep our heart healthy.

Most common form of heart disease: Coronary heart disease (plaque builds in coronary arteries); decreased blood flow to the heart; elevated risk of blockages in leg.

Symptoms to watch out for: Different in women, diabetics and the elderly; shortness of breath, lightheadedness, fatigue, neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort.

Risk factors: High cholesterol, obese, low exercise, diabetes, age, gender, family history, smoking, stress, depressed, high blood pressure.

What can we do to minimize our risk and protect our heart? Lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. Obviously can't change genetics; find out if you're at risk for the most common form of heart disease. Visit advocatehealth.com/heartscans to schedule $49 heart scan. It's simple, non-invasive and can reveal life-changing information. You should get a scan if you're at least 35, have not been previously diagnosed with heart disease, do not have a pacemaker and have at least two of the risk factors we discussed: male over 45, female over 55, obese, physically inactive, diabetic, family history of heart disease, high cholesterol, depressed, high blood pressure, smoker.

For more information, visit: advocatehealth.com/heartscans