February is American Heart Month, sponsored on NBC San Diego by UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center

Thursday, Apr 11, 2013 | Updated 11:18 PM PDT

As we arrive at American Heart Month, here are some facts from the American Heart Association to remind you just how important hearth health is to American's in San Diego and the United States alike.

· Heart disease can be prevented. In fact, research shows that 80 percent of cardiac events in women may be prevented if women make the right choices for their hearts, involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking. You can Make It Your Mission to help stop heart disease by:

· Knowing your numbers.

· Visiting your doctor once a year.

· Getting 30 minutes of exercise daily.

· Stopping smoking.

· Eating healthy.

· Learning more at GoRedForWomen.org.

Facts pertaining to women in particular:

One in three women has some form of cardiovascular disease, and it kills more than 420,000 every year, which is about one every minute. When it comes to risk, about 90 percent of all US women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease. Risk factors include exposure to tobacco smoke, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity/overweight and diabetes.

· Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, taking the life of one in three each year. This means women like you — mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, friends — are dying at the rate of one per minute because they don’t know what you know: heart disease kills.

· More women die of heart disease than the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. In fact, one in three American women die of cardiovascular diseases, compared to one in 30 women who die of breast cancer.

· Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease. Heart disease has already touched you or someone you love; so help us save a woman’s life today. “Make It Your Mission” to fight heart disease in women and stop the No.1 killer.

Facts about Children and heart health:

· Nearly one in three overweight or obese kids under the age of 18 faces the threat of early heart disease because of their weight.

· Being overweight or obese as a child or teen can translate into premature heart disease, lower quality of life as an adult and a shorter lifespan.

· Home is where the heart is – kids and teens can achieve healthier body weights when the whole family works together to make heart healthy food choices, cut portion sizes and become more physically active.

· The American Heart Association wants all children to become more physically active and eat healthier. Take a quick online assessment to get a snapshot of your child’s heart health – and how you can help them improve their health, visit www.heart.org/mylifecheck.

Exercise Statistics

· The risk of developing coronary heart disease is almost 2.5 times greater among those who are physically inactive— an increase in risk comparable to that observed for high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure or cigarette smoking.

· The American Heart Association recommends moderate intensity aerobic exercise amounting to about 30 minutes, five days a week. Yet only 15 percent of Americans achieve that. Don’t be a statistic – get physically active today.