Free Women’s Heart Health Awareness Fair on Feb. 3

Antelope Valley Medical Center (AVMC) will kick-off American Heart Month by hosting its third annual Women’s Heart Health Awareness Fair on Friday, February 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the AVMC Community Resource Center 44151 15th Street West, Lancaster. This free event will feature health presentations, free health screenings, Hands-Only CPR training and refreshments. All are welcome; registration is not required.

Heart disease and stroke are serious health issues for women. More women die each year of heart disease than all cancers combined, and each year stroke kills twice as many women as breast cancer. During National Heart Month, AVMC is encouraging women to learn about their personal risk for heart disease and stroke. Risk factors include smoking; high blood pressure; high blood cholesterol; being overweight or obese; lack of physical activity; unhealthy diet; diabetes and pre-diabetes; and other conditions such as sleep apnea, stress and alcohol abuse.

“The more women know about their risk for heart disease and stroke, the better prepared they are to take charge of their health,” said Stephanie Herider, RN, MHA, MSN, chest pain center coordinator and quality manager at AVMC. “This event is an educational and fun way to bring important information to our community. We hope everyone takes time to stop by, and we encourage you to help us raise awareness by wearing red that day.”

The free health screenings will include lipid panel, cholesterol and blood pressure. Fasting is not required for these screenings. Educational presentations led by cardiologist Sameh Gadallah, MD, emergency department physician Nicole Wojtal, MD, and Maureen Fitzgerald, RN, will provide insight into women’s heart health and symptoms of a cardiac emergency.

In addition, participants are invited to bring their medications and vitamins for a free medication review by a pharmacist who will help identify any potential medication interactions as well as answer questions about each medication.

Hands-only CPR demonstrations will be provided by AMR Medical Transportation. Hands-Only CPR, also known as “Sidewalk CPR,” is different from conventional mouth-to-mouth CPR. Sidewalk CPR is designed to give people basic skills, which if provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival until emergency responders arrive.

“When emergency strikes, it’s essential to call 9-1-1 immediately because one key to survival is getting professional medical help as quickly as possible,” said Laurie Ramirez, RN, MSN, manager of AVMC’s cath lab in the Institute for Heart & Vascular Care. “Local residents can take great comfort in knowing that Antelope Valley Medical Center has the team, training and technology in place to provide prompt diagnosis and treatment for both heart and stroke emergencies.”

The Women’s Heart Health Awareness Fair is being held on National Wear Red Day – Feb. 3, a day on which men and women across the country wear red to raise awareness of women’s heart health. AVMC is joining with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign and encouraging everyone to #GoRedWearRed.

To download a flyer, click here.