The Reid Heart Center at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital will focus on helping the community learn more about heart disease by hosting several awareness events throughout this month.

To kick off the month as American Heart Month, FirstHealth invites residents participate in National Wear Red Day today (Friday). Americans nationwide are wearing red to show their support for heart health.

How much do you actually know about your heart? Here are a few facts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

n Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.

n Someone in the United States has a heart attack every 34 seconds.

n Between 70 and 89 percent of sudden cardiac events occur in men.

n One in four women in the United States dies of heart disease, while one in 30 dies of breast cancer.

Even if you do not have symptoms, you may be at risk for heart disease. Being overweight, smoking, poor diet and lack of physical activity are all risk factors that contribute to heart disease.

Learning more about the disease and your health are actions you can take immediately to help yourself, as well as others, a FirstHealth news release said.

Other scheduled events at FirstHealth include the following:

n Know Your Numbers - free blood pressure screenings at Reid Heart Center, Friday, Feb. 10 and 24, from 8 to 11 a.m. and Wednesday, Feb. 15 and 29, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in lobby of Reid Heart Center, 120 Page Road North. Call (910) 715-1478 or (800) 213-3284 for more information.

n Celebrate Heart Month with the Reid Heart Center Education series kickoff - Thursday, Feb. 23, 5:30 p.m. with Dr. Art Edgerton, a heart surgeon at Reid Heart Center, in lobby of Reid Heart Center, 120 Page Road North. The education series will run through May.

Call 715-1478 or (800) 213-3284 for more information or to register for this event.