More than 600,000 people die from heart disease each year. "Heart disease affects people of all races and ethnicities, [but has] a higher death toll for women, African Americans, and American Indians," says UC Davis Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program Director Amparo Villablanca, MD. "Only about half of women realize heart disease is their leading cause of death and that it is, for the most part, preventable." That's why February is American Heart Month and the first Friday in February is National Wear Red Day, to help raise awareness about symptoms and causes of heart disease. This year, some dresses from Villablanca's UC Davis Red Dress Collection—created by undergraduates from the UC Davis Department of Design—will be showcased on banners and displayed at the State Capitol during the final week of February. On February 2, Arden Fair Mall will host the American Heart Association for a National Wear Red Day Celebration between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. where "visitors will be treated to free blood pressure and BMI screenings from Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute, a fashion segment featuring local heart disease and stroke survivors, doctors and nurses, hands-only CPR training, healthy food samples, and more," explains Michael Castillo, director of communications and marketing at the Sacramento American Heart Association. Join Marshall Medical Center on February 28 at the Cameron Park Community Center for its annual Affair of the Heart—a free event promoting heart health. Among the offerings are health screenings, exercise demos, health food vendors, raffle prizes, wine tasting, and a panel of Marshall cardiologists moderated by comedian and heart attack survivor Frank King.

For more information, visit

womenshearthealth.ucdavis.edu, heart.org/HEARTORG/Affiliate/Sacramento/California/Home_UCM_WSA019_AffiliatePage.jsp, and eventbrite.com/e/affair-of-the-heart-2018-tickets-41407266248.

By Emily Peter