Published February 12, 2020 in The San Fernando Valley Sun

In February, stores are filled with gifts and cards with bright red hearts for your Valentine. It’s a month to celebrate love with those who are special to you.

It’s also National Heart Health month, a time to love yourself by taking the time to check on your own heart health.

It’s startling to learn that about 647,000 people — that’s one in four across the country — die from heart disease each year. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.

For Latinas, the statistics are even more alarming.

Nearly one in three Latinas have cardiovascular disease that can lead to heart attacks and strokes, according to the American Heart Association. The numbers of Latinas with heart disease are both increasing and are often undiagnosed.

“In our local community there are high rates of cardiovascular disease, with high rates of hypertension, circulation problems generally including heart circulation issues and extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD),” said David Luna, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Valley Community Healthcare…

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