VCU hosts Twitter chat with heart disease expert on Tuesday

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, with more than 600,000 Americans dying of the disease each year. In recognition of American Heart Month in February, Virginia Commonwealth University will host a Twitter chat about the disease on Feb. 2 with Jordana Kron, M.D., a physician from the VCU Health Pauley Heart Center.

The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions, the most common being coronary artery disease, which can cause heart attacks. Other kinds of heart disease may involve the valves in the heart, or the heart may not pump well and cause heart failure. Some people are born with heart disease.

Lifestyle habits such as smoking, eating an unhealthy diet, and not getting enough exercise increase the risk for developing heart disease. Other conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes can also increase risk for the disease.

Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those, 525,000 are a first heart attack and 210,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack. During the Twitter chat on Tuesday, Kron will discuss preventive measures to reduce the risk of developing heart disease as well as symptoms of the disease and treatment options.

Everyone is invited to sign into their Twitter accounts and join the conversation to have their questions answered by Kron from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 2. Just remember to use the hashtag #VCUHealthChat when posting questions and comments.

Questions can be submitted in advance via Twitter using #VCUHealthChat and @VCUHealth on Twitter.

 

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