Primary Care

February is Heart Month: Why it matters

February is American Heart Month, a perfect time to check blood pressure, cholesterol, and other heart risks—and community health centers like Center for Family Health and Education and Priority Care Medical Group can provide this care at low or no cost (depending on eligibility) for many patients.

Schedule a primary care visit for a “heart health check” that includes blood pressure, lab work for cholesterol and diabetes, and a medication review.

Heart Health: Why it matters

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, but much of it is preventable with early detection and treatment of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking.
Heart health month encourages everyone to focus on small, realistic changes—like checking blood pressure, moving more, and taking medications as prescribed—that protect the heart over time.

Know your heart risk

Simple clinic checks can reveal major risk factors for heart disease:

Blood pressure (hypertension)

Cholesterol and triglycerides

Blood sugar (prediabetes and diabetes)

Weight, smoking, and family history

Primary care teams routinely screen for these risks and help patients with practical treatment plans, especially in communities with higher rates of hypertension and heart problems.

How a community health center can help

At community health centers like Center for Family Health and Education, primary care clinicians provide:

Blood pressure and cholesterol checks, EKGs when appropriate, and medication management for hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Counseling on nutrition, exercise, and quitting smoking, often with referrals to behavioral health when stress or mood make lifestyle changes harder.

Because CFFHAE is an FQHC, patients with Medi‑Cal, Medicare, some private plans, and those who are uninsured can access these services with sliding‑fee options and, in many cases, little or no out‑of‑pocket cost.

Heart‑health steps to take this February

During February Heart Month:

Schedule a primary care visit for a “heart health check” that includes blood pressure, lab work for cholesterol and diabetes, and a medication review.

Ask about smoking cessation support, nutrition counseling, and safe activity goals if you have risk factors or a history of heart problems.

Non profit centers such as Center for Family Health and Education and Priority Care Medical Group can help you understand your heart risks, adjust medications, and connect you to ongoing primary care and support programs designed for cost conscious patients who need consistent, high quality heart health care.

References

-American Heart Association – American Heart Month (heart.org/en/american-heart-month)
-NHLBI, NIH – American Heart Month (nhlbi.nih.gov/education/american-heart-month)
-CDC – American Heart Month Communications Toolkit (cdc.gov/heart-disease/php/heart-month/index.html)
-CDC – Heart Disease Facts (cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm)
-The Heart Foundation – Heart Health Month (theheartfoundation.org/heart-health-month)
-UCI Public Health – Heart Health Awareness Month: Simple Steps to a Stronger Heart (publichealth.uci.edu/2025/01/31/heart-health-awareness-month-simple-steps-to-a-stronger-heart)

References

Pregnancy test: when to take, types & accuracy [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic. [cited 2023 Jan 18]. Available from: my.clevelandclinic.org/ health/articles/9703-pregnancy-tests
What’s an IUD insertion like? [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jan 18]. Available from: plannedparenthood.org/ learn/birth-control/iud/whats-an-iud-insertion-like

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