ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — February is American Heart Month and the American Heart Association wants to encourage everyone to take action to improve their heart health. One way they work to raise awareness is by encouraging everyone to participate in National Wear Red Day!

National Wear Red Day is Friday, February 3, 2023. So pull out your best red and use the hashtag #WearRedDay. Don’t forget to tag @AHAPennsylvania on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Studio 814’s Morgan Koziar sits down with Tiffany Tomlinson, RN MHA, BSN Clinical Nursing Director, Cardiac Cath and Electrophysiology Lab, LDRP (Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum) and Inpatient Nursing UPMC Altoona and JoAnn Propcheck Go Red for Women volunteer to talk about National Wear Red Day, the Blair Woman of Impact campaign, and the Blair Go Red for Women Event & Fashion Show.

The Blair Woman of Impact campaign is from Feb. 3 – April 6, 2023. Support a nominee by clicking here. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of all Americans, and that includes women. It claims the lives of more women than all forms of cancer combined. But many women are still unaware that heart disease is their biggest health threat.

Younger women and women of color in particular need more information to help them understand their risks and how to take steps to live healthier.

In many cases, cardiovascular disease is preventable. Unfortunately, women experience different warning signs of heart attacks than men says Tomlinson.

Heart attack warning signs include:

• Pain, discomfort or pressure in the chest.
• Shortness of breath or extreme fatigue
• Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body, including the jaw, neck or upper back.
• Lightheadedness
• Sudden nausea, vomiting or indigestion.

Help in the fight against heart disease and support the Blair Go Red for Women Event & Fashion Show. It will be held on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 6 p.m. at the Blair County Convention Center. Get your best red dress or blazer and join the heart health community as they work to eradicate heart disease and stroke in women.