WRNMMC, Bethesda, MD  –   The Cardiology staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) celebrated National Wear Red Day Feb. 3 by donning red (masks, clothing, making, accessories, etc.), to raise awareness about heart disease.

Observed during Heart Health Month, Wear Red Day is recognized annually on the first Friday in February to draw attention to heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in the United States, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Americans, especially women,” said Joan LoepkerDuncan, chief nursing officer in charge of Cardiology Service at WRNMMC. “We want our patients to know their risk and partner with their providers to protect their hearts. Patients can ask their providers to check their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.”

LoepkerDuncan added there are several things people can do to reduce their risk for heart disease, including never or quitting smoking, eating heart healthy, and aiming for at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 80 percent of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, is preventable,” LoepkerDuncan continued.

For more information about heart disease, visit the NIH website at nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth.

For more information on Cardiology Services at WRNMMC, visit walterreed.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Specialty-Care/Cardiology.