MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- February is Heart Health month, and Indiana is thirteenth in the country with the most deaths from heart disease, according to the Indiana Women's Heart Alliance. Whether that's due to a heart attack, arrythmia, or other factors, it's a serious problem in the Hoosier State.
State data shows heart disease kills more than 14,000 Hoosiers each year. Local medical professionals are warning people during Heart Health month.
If you've ever felt what feels like your heart beating out of your chest, you know it can be unsettling. For people in the state of Indiana, heart issues are unfortunately all too common.
Janey Hardesty is a nurse practitioner with Saint Joe Health System. She says part of the struggle for Hoosiers is winter weather, discouraging people from exercising enough.
"A lot of that is a big struggle around here just because of the climate we live in, so I do recommend for my patients that they have a plan for some sort of indoor activity, whether that's cycling or rowing or treadmill or something like that," said Hardesty.
Hardesty says you can help your heart by getting around 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, as well as a healthy diet. But for women, heart disease is the number one killer in the state, according to the Indiana Women's Heart Alliance.
Hardesty says this is because once women hit menopause, less estrogen in their system means their heart doesn't have as much protection as it did during pre-menopause.
"If they've been menopausal or post-menopausal for years, that kind of limits what they would do as far as hormone replacement therapy if that's something that they would consider, but really, a lot of it is still using prevention strategies. There used to be a lot of concerns for using hormones for women who are in menopause to treat some of their symptoms but really, estrogen has a protective effect on the heart," said Hardesty.
Hardesty wants to remind each person that while some heart health tips may work for others, each person is unique and to consult medical professionals with questions.