DETROIT – February is American Heart Month and according to a recent survey, many people underestimate the threat of heart disease.
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Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women. According to a survey from the Cleveland Clinic, more than two thirds of Americans don’t know that. Most people believe breast cancer is a larger threat.
“I think most people believe that, right? That breast cancer, or gynecological cancer, tends to be the biggest killer in women,” said Dr. Leslie Cho with the Cleveland Clinic Cardiology. “But it still continues to be heart disease and the reason why that’s so important is because 90 percent of heart disease comes from risk factors that you can control -- blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking.”
The study show that younger residents are the most mistaken with only twenty percent correctly identifying heart disease as the leading cause of death in women.
Even if you have a family history, you can reduce your risk by following a healthy lifestyle, not smoking and keeping your blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes under control.
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