UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of all American adults are affected by some form of cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States.
Sarah Guillard, a nurse practitioner at the Heart and Vascular Institute at Penn State Health, said because of statistics like this, cardiovascular health is something that everyone should be thinking about.
“Heart disease is something that affects everyone. It is either something that will affect you personally or it is something that will affect a loved one or a friend. So, having good information about it is probably something that you will use in your life,” Guillard said.
Guillard is teaming up with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Penn State to instruct a free online course: Cardiovascular Health and Prevention of Disease. During the course, Guillard will explore heart-healthy adjustments people can make in their lives. She will also discuss prevention techniques and look closely at the science behind what causes heart attacks and heart disease.
The online course will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 22 and is open to the community. Registration for the course is free of charge and available here or by calling 814-867-4278.
“I think people have a lot of questions about how to take care of themselves and prevent disease in the future,” Guillard said. “There is a lot of good information out there and there is a lot of misinformation out there. I think people would benefit from having it distilled down to some of the big things that you can do take care of yourself.”
Guillard’s passion for cardiology came from a desire to significantly impact people’s health.
“People can have a cardiovascular event, like a heart attack, and live for many years afterwards with proper cardiology care and good medicine. So, it is a field with a lot of hope,” Guillard said.
Guillard was inspired to share her knowledge with OLLI at Penn State by her mother Peggy Johnson, who is an active member.
OLLI at Penn State is a Penn State Outreach program that offers community members aged 50 and above the opportunity to learn, explore and connect through educational experiences, travel, social and volunteer opportunities.
“I am looking forward to this opportunity to teach with OLLI. I think that from all the members I have met in the community, they seem like a curious group who are interested in continuing to learn and they will probably have a lot of good questions,” said Guillard.
She added that cardiovascular health is an important topic for all ages.
“Certainly, as we age, our risk for cardiovascular disease increases. It is responsible for the most deaths in the United States, so I think it is important for everyone to know how they can take care of the heart so they can lead a long and healthy life,” Guillard said.
Visit the OLLI at Penn State website to find more information about opportunities and upcoming courses.