Heart Association urges Utahns to 'Live fierce, be relentless'

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Utah and across the United States, and the American Heart Association is working with University of Utah Health to improve cardiovascular health statewide.

The partnership is part of the association’s “Live Fierce, Be Relentless” campaign, which aims to improve cardiovascular well-being and reduce health disparities for Utah residents.

Dr. Ann Bruno, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Utah Health, said a major focus of the effort is maternal health.

“The goal through this campaign and the general efforts of the University of Utah Health at this new clinic is to improve the care for patients with heart conditions in pregnancy, and also more broadly, to improve cardiac health awareness,” Bruno said.

In addition to maternal health, the campaign focuses on stroke awareness and prevention, blood pressure management and CPR education.

Bruno said the initiative is designed to help women better understand their risks and take steps to protect their health and their babies’ health.

The campaign also emphasizes teaching basic CPR skills and how to use defibrillators. It gives people tools to maintain and manage their blood pressure.

Bruno said the combined effort can improve health outcomes across Utah by increasing awareness, strengthening prevention and providing residents with practical health tools. She said telehealth is one way the program is trying to reach people in rural communities.

“What we offer is a lot of telehealth options to try to be able to allow for patients who live in more rural areas to still see physicians like high-risk OB docs or cardiologists, that they might not have access to,” Bruno said.

The American Heart Association also supports programs that encourage people to learn key health numbers and work with medical professionals to build heart-healthy habits.