ROCHESTER, Minn. ― People across the nation will wear red on Friday, Feb. 7, joining the effort to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke as the most dangerous threats to a woman's health. Nationally, 1 in 3 women die from cardiovascular disease.

National Wear Red Day takes place on the first Friday in February, which is National Heart Month. The special day ― and the attention-getting color ― are a call for women to take charge of their cardiovascular health, and encourage their mothers, daughters and friends to do the same.

"Women can make a difference by knowing their risk factors for heart disease, including female-specific risks, such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia," says Rekha Mankad, M.D., a Mayo Clinic cardiologist and director of the Women's Heart Clinic in Rochester. "They should also understand that heart attack symptoms in women are sometimes vague and can differ greatly from the classic heart attack symptoms in men."

Dr. Mankad says the heart attack often featured in movies and TV, where a person clutches the left side of the chest, is not as common in women. Although they may experience chest pain, women are more likely to have heart attack symptoms that include unusual fatigue and nausea, as well as back, neck and jaw pain.

National Red Wear Day activities to be held across Mayo Clinic are:

Mayo Clinic in Arizona

Group photographs will be taken near the Mayo Brothers statue on the Phoenix campus at 11 a.m. MST and at the front entrance to Mayo Clinic Building ― Scottsdale at 1 p.m. MST.

Mayo Clinic in Florida

A group photograph will be taken at 12:15 EST in front of the Mangurian Building. In addition, an American Heart Association booth and selfie photo spot will be in the Mayo Building cafe from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. EST.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

These will be activities in Phillips Hall on the first floor of the Siebens Building and at Mayo Clinic Hospital ― Rochester, Saint Marys Campus, in the Francis Tower lobby from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CST. These activities will include Mayo exhibit booths, live music, heart-healthy snacks, and a heart-themed photo booth. In addition, a group photograph will be taken at each location at noon CST.

Mayo Clinic Health System

Mayo Clinic Health System will support Go Red for Women through planned activities in February that vary by location.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news and An Inside Look at Mayo Clinic for more information about Mayo.

Media contact:

• Terri Malloy, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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