SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., On September 30, women of the panhandle will be asked to step out for women’s heart health and attend the Healthy Heart Extravaganza at the Monument Mall in Scottsbluff.

The health fair, sponsored by Regional West Medical Center and Regional West Foundation, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a Red Hat Society fashion show scheduled for 11 a.m. at the mall’s center court.

“This event is part of a new program developed by Regional West called Stepping Out For Women’s Heart Health,” said Julie Fliam, RN, program chair. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States – higher than the number of deaths caused by breast and lung cancers, stroke and obstructive pulmonary disease combined. The intent of Regional West’s Stepping Out For Women’s Heart Health program is to increase local awareness about women’s heart disease, the risk factors associated and importance of leading a healthful lifestyle.”

The heart health fair will feature comprehensive lab tests including checks for cholesterol, lipids, kidney problems, thyroid and electrolytes for just $19.30. The normal cost for comparable tests would regularly be about $300.

As a component of the Stepping Out For Women’s Heart Health program, individual risk assessments will be conducted on-site, taking just a few minutes for participants to complete. Results of the confidential assessment will be mailed to each participant.

Also featured at the heart health fair are blood pressure checks, body mass index, stress tests and lung capacity studies, available to all interested parties free-of-charge.

“The Healthy Heart Extravaganza is a fun way to promote the message about women’s heart disease while providing the tests and tools necessary to identify an individual’s risk for the disease,” said Fliam.

Research shows that by assessing risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity and inactivity and then making appropriate lifestyle changes, women can lower their risks for heart disease by as much as 82 percent, said Fliam.

“One of the most valuable messages we hope women take away from the heart health fair is that the symptoms of heart attack in women are much different than that of men,” said Fliam.

In males, chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack. In fact, only 30 percent of women experience the same symptom, said Fliam. Generally, more subtle signs occur such as pain that radiates to the upper back, shoulders, arm, neck, stomach or jaw; feelings of breathlessness, anxiety; flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, coughing, clamminess or cold sweats; fatigue, weakness or dizziness.

First Lady Laura Bush once said, “With the many risk factors for heart disease, a woman's greatest risk is ignorance.”

“We hope that local women will go to the Monument Mall on Sept. 30 to learn more about the uniqueness of heart disease in women,” said Fliam. “When women are armed with accurate information, they can make better lifestyle choices.”

Sponsors of the event include Regional West Health Services, Regional West Foundation, Heart Center of the Rockies, Horizons West Medical Group, The Women’s Center of Western Nebraska, Medical Imaging Associates, Community Health, Panhandle Community Services, Curves, Becky’s Therapeutic Massage, Western Plains Printing, The American Heart Association, Culligan Water and Panhandle Coop.

Regional West Medical Center, with approximately 1,200 employees, is an acute care hospital that serves western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming. With over 80 active physicians, 95 percent of whom are board certified or board eligible, plus an additional 25 consulting specialists, we offer care that spans more than 40 medical specialties. The hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and is one of only three Level II Trauma Centers in the state of Nebraska.