Pete’s Perspective: Love Your Heart. We Do.

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

Our hearts beat more than 100,000 times a day. Yet many of us don’t think regularly about heart health. Salinas Valley Health (Salinas Valley Health) celebrates American Heart Month each February as a reminder of the importance of cardiac care.

Heart disease is called the “silent killer” for a reason. Symptoms may hint at a problem, however there is often no clear sign until it is too late. Regular physicals will help you stay on top of your heart health and remain confident that everything is working as it should.

Diet and exercise are some of the fundamentals of cardiac care and we invite you to participate in the 2023 Exercise Challenge as part of this year’s Heart Month. The annual community-wide fitness challenge encourages participants to achieve 150-minutes or more of aerobic activity each week during February. The Exercise Challenge is open to individuals and company teams, and is a great way to get motivated and build a healthy habit.

Our website highlights delicious and easy to prepare heart healthy dishes from award-winning Executive Chef Jason Giles, our Director of Nutrition Services. Chef Jason’s recipes feature local ingredients and simple ways to tailor dishes to your individual taste.

When you need more than diet and exercise to keep your heart strong, our nationally recognized cardiac team delivers life-changing interventional procedures without travel to the Bay Area. The Salinas Valley Health Structural Heart Program has achieved significant success with minimally invasive procedures for our patients.

• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an alternative to open-heart surgery that positions a new valve to open up blood flow
• MitraClip^TM repairs leaking mitral valves without open-heart surgery by clipping together portions of the valve to close down the leak, allowing the heart to pump more efficiently
• WATCHMAN^TM cardiac implants offer an alternative to blood thinners, reducing stroke risk for people with atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem

These specializations mean our patients receive top-level care close to home, spend less time in the hospital and see improvements in their quality of life. Structural heart care is no longer just for high-risk individuals who are not candidates for open-heart surgery. Many cardiac patients can now benefit from these life-impacting procedures.

From the state of-the-art interventional cardiology to diagnostics for irregular heartbeat, surgical solutions for patients with complex issues, and a cardiac rehabilitation program, we are here for you, and your heart. Visit our website to learn more about the cardiac services we bring to our community.

Love your heart. We do.