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CAMP HILL, Pa. — In support of the American Heart Association’s "Go Red for Women" campaign, Rite Aid Corp. is providing free heart health guides in all of its stores.
The drug chain said Monday the guides will be available now through March in stores nationwide as well as online at www.riteaid.com/health/.
More than 4,800 Rite Aid stores also will help raise funds for the AHA by collecting customer donations of $1 or more for red dress paper pinups from January 31 to March 6. Pinups include six detachable money-saving coupons.
And to encourage patients to take charge of their heart health, Rite Aid is offering a rebate now through March 27. Purchases of $25 or more of select heart and overall health products earn customers Rite Aid gift cards of $10 to $25.
One in three women dies from cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), but there are steps women of all ages can take to safeguard their heart.
Rite Aid said its efforts emphasize women’s heart health in an attempt to debunk the myth that heart disease is a "man’s disease." The retailer explained that, according to the AHA, one in three women dies from cardiovascular disease. Still, the chain noted the national dialogue on heart health benefits men and women by increasing awareness of a disease responsible for more deaths in either sex than any other cause.
The 16-page heart health guide includes information about heart health at different ages as well as the dangers of heart disease.
The guide also provides specific advice, including recognizing the signs of heart attack or stroke that can help a victim get life-saving medical attention within a critical time window; controlling high cholesterol by reducing dietary fat intake, raising the HDL cholesterol levels and getting regular cholesterol checks; reducing high blood pressure and the damage it can cause to internal organs and arteries by increasing fruit and vegetable intake while avoiding alcohol and tobacco products; managing diabetes and the increased risk it brings for stroke or heart disease through consistent checkups and personalized diabetes wellness tips from a Rite Aid pharmacist.
And online, Rite Aid provides links, additional information and interactive resources, such as support groups for heart wellness and the related topic of weight management; personalized health information, including fat intake limits, what type and how much cholesterol is healthy, and a full heart profile from the AHA; tips for eating heart healthy when dining out; and how caregivers can focus on heart health for seniors.
"Rite Aid’s most important goal as a network of neighborhood pharmacies is to empower its patients to take charge of their overall health and wellness. This entails more than just remembering regular checkups and taking medications appropriately as prescribed," commen ted Robert Thompson, executive vice president of pharmacy at Rite Aid. "The research behind our heart awareness initiatives with the American Heart Association clearly shows how a little bit of lifestyle change literally can add years to a patient’s life."