Naugatuck Valley Health District Offers Free Blood Pressure Screenings

Information via Naugatuck Valley Health District

NAUGATUCK, CT — The Naugatuck Valley Health District will recognize February as American Heart Month with free blood pressure screenings.

According to a news release provided by the health district, the month of February has been designated as American Heart Month nationally. In partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute of Health’s Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH), and the American Heart Assocation (AHA), the Naugatuck Valley Health District (NVHD) reinforces the importance of heart health, the need for more research and efforts to ensure that millions of people live longer and healthier lives.

Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans; according to the AHA’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, heart disease continues to be the greatest health threat to Americans and is still the leading cause of death worldwide, according to the health district.

In most cases of heart disease, it is preventable when people adopt a healthy lifestyle, including not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and blood pressure, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, visiting doctors for regular checkups, and getting at least 150 minutes of exercise each week, according to the health district.

According to the health district's local community health assessment, The 2022 Valley Community Index, available for download at www.nvhd.org/cha-chip, heart disease and stroke are one of the leading causes of premature death in the valley.

The rate of high blood pressure in the valley was also higher than the state’s average (37 percent compared to 31 percent). In response to this data, NVHD staff members of NVHD will be celebrating American Heart Month and urging its residents to do the same, according to the health district.

Staff members will be visiting each of the valley’s municipal senior/community centers to hold blood pressure screenings, as well as handing out information on heart health, including different exercises and activities, heart healthy recipes, and other general information on heart health, according to the health district.

• Ansonia Senior Center, Feb. 8, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• Naugatuck Senior Center, Feb. 9, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Derby Senior Center, Feb. 13, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Shelton Senior Center, Feb. 15, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Beacon Falls Senior Center, Feb. 20, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Seymour Community Center, Feb. 21, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

More information is available at wwwnvhd.org.