During American Heart Month in February, Cooperative Extension Service experts encourage Arkansans to develop healthy habits and know their risk factors to protect themselves from the leading cause of death in Arkansas — heart disease.
The Arkansas Department of Health reported that heart disease claimed the lives of 8,531 Arkansans in 2024. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute identified heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States.
Lida Araghi, assistant professor of nutrition and extension foods specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said “heart disease” is an umbrella term that encompasses several conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels…