SPL HEALTH
Show Your Heart Some Love Heart Health
important. Feb. 10 is World Marriage Day. Valentine’s Day is Feb. 14,
a special date to show the one you love how much you care. Your pet
can get into the act on Feb. 20, which is National Love Your Pet Day.
But the entire month of February is American Heart Month, a time
to take stock in your heart health. According to the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC.gov), about 610,000 people in the United
States die of heart disease each year, making it the leading cause of
death for both men and women.
What can you do to prevent heart disease so that your heart only
beats a little faster when you’re with your sweetheart? We spoke
with Brian Moss, DO, a cardiologist at Bay Area Heart Center in St.
Petersburg since 2008, who knows how important it is to take care
of your heart. He advises his patients and co-workers to move more
and eat better to lower the risk of heart disease.
“I am a very avid exerciser and enjoy endurance training and
playing tennis. My passion for health and wellness really played a
part into being attracted to cardiology,” said Dr. Moss, who also
serves as director of the echocardiography department at St.
Anthony’s Hospital. “I love the complexity and the challenges of
50 StPeteLifeMag.com January/February 2020
Be an active participant in
your health to reduce your
risk of heart disease
Since I ‘practice what I preach,’ I feel my patients and colleagues
are motivated by my actions. It is rewarding to see my patients and
colleagues improve both their physical and mental well-being by
improving their lifestyle.”
Dr. Moss is a native of St. Petersburg and says he is proud to call
St. Petersburg home. After 17 years of studying and training in
Louisiana, Iowa, Ohio, Illinois and the Washington, D.C. area, he
decided to return to St. Petersburg to be closer to family. In other
words, he followed his heart home.
For Heart Month, we asked Dr. Moss about the most common heart
disease, why knowing your numbers is key to good heart health and
what you can do to lower your risk.
There are so many common heart diseases and conditions. What
is the most common heart disease in the United States?
Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart
disease and often presents with chest pain or discomfort and can
result in a heart attack. Often when we talk about heart disease,
we are referring to coronary artery disease. Another common
irregular heartbeat. If left untreated, it could result in a stroke.
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of heart disease and seeking
/(CDC.gov
/StPeteLifeMag.com