In honor of American Heart Month, Southwest Regional Medical Center and the Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation have planned a heart health education series for the month of February.

Each week will feature a specialist in the field of cardiology to discuss many aspects of heart health from diagnosis to treatment. Programs include:

n Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.: Dr. Praful Vora, "Diseases and Their Effects on the Heart"

n Feb. 16 at 6 p.m.: Dr. Praful Vora, "Hypertension"

n Feb. 24 at 5 p.m.: Dr. James Richardson, "Lipid Management"

Heart healthy refreshments will be served. All attendees will be entered for a chance to win a $50 gift card to Angelo's restaurant in Washington.

According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention, Greene County residents are dying from heart disease at a rate of 10 percent faster than others are across the state of Pennsylvania. Recognizing the signs of a heart attack and seeking treatment as quickly as possible can help minimize long-term damage.

According to the American Heart Association, the most prevalent signs of a heart attack are chest discomfort, discomfort in other areas of the upper body, shortness of breath or lightheadedness. When experiencing any of these symptoms, every second counts and the first thing that should be done is call 9-1-1.

The Cardiology Department at Southwest Regional Medical Center offers a variety of non-invasive services to help quickly and effectively evaluate and stabilize heart conditions for those experiencing symptoms. The cardiology department offers stress testing, echocardiograms and advanced telemetry services.

CTA testing is also available. This testing offers some patients a non-invasive option for cardiac catheterization.

Call 724-627-2623 to register.