CANTON -- To mark Heart Disease Awareness Month, St. Lawrence County Public Health is sharing strategies for preventing heart disease and encouraging residents to live heart healthy lives.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. Every year, one in four deaths is caused by heart disease in this country.

In St. Lawrence County, seven percent of adults were diagnosed with heart disease in 2017, a percentage that has been on the rise, according to county Public Health.

Heart disease encompasses a variety of diseases affecting the heart. Coronary artery disease is the most common type, which can cause heart attack, chest pain, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Coronary artery disease occurs when plaque builds up in arteries. When this happens, arteries can narrow over time, reducing the blood flow to the heart.

Symptoms vary depending on the type of heart disease. Often, chest discomfort or a heart attack is the first sign. Symptoms of a heart attack include:

• chest pain

• pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back

• weakness, light-headedness, nausea, or a cold sweat

• pain or discomfort in the arm or shoulder

• shortness of breath.

The good news is people who make healthy lifestyle changes and properly manage their health conditions can lower their overall risk for heart disease and heart attack.

To lower the risk for heart disease, people should consider:

• maintaining a healthy weight

• quitting smoking

• controlling cholesterol and blood pressure

• limiting alcohol use

• getting enough physical activity

• eating a healthy diet.

A healthier lifestyle can also help manage blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels, in addition to preventing heart disease and heart attack.

For more information on preventing heart disease, visit www.cdc.gov/heartdisease or call the Public Health Department at 315-386-2325.