Beebe Medical Center sponsors Go Red luncheon

Beebe Medical Center sponsored the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women luncheon Sept. 18 at Baywood Greens Clubhouse.

In 2004, the AHA faced a challenge. Cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of nearly 500,000 American women each year, yet women were not paying attention. In fact, many even dismissed it as an older man’s disease. To dispel the myths and raise awareness of heart disease as the number one killer of women, the AHA created Go Red For Women, a passionate, emotional, social initiative designed to empower women to take charge of their heart health.

The keynote speaker for the event was Firas el-Sabbagh, MD from Clinic by the Sea. El-Sabbagh is a cardiologist and a cardiac electro physiologist who spoke about the heart arrhythmias. The most common arrhythmia is arterial fibrillation. Arterial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that increases the risk of stroke and heart disease. Signs include dizziness, weakness and fatigue.

Treatment involves medication and lifestyle changes, and sometimes procedures such as cardioversion, ablation, pacemakers or surgery.