King Edward VII Memorial Hospital is holding two public events in recognition of February as Heart Healthy Month.

The Cardiac Diagnostic Unit (CDU) will hold an open house on Monday in an attempt to draw attention to a problem recognised as the leading cause of death for men and women in Bermuda.

A similar event will follow on Valentine's Day, February 14.

"As the number one cause of death for both men and women on our island and around the world, heart disease affects one in two Bermudians in their lifetime," said June Belloquet, clinical leader of the CDU.

"The services we provide are a vital part of healthcare in our community. We invite the public to attend one of our open house events and learn about cardiac diagnostic testing."

The CDU performed almost 15,000 diagnostic tests last year, including electrocardiograms (ECGs), 24 to 48-hour Holter monitoring, exercise stress tests, echocardiograms, pacemaker and defibrillator analysis, 24-hour automated blood pressure and electroencephalograms (EEG).

The department's nine staff members see "just about every patient in Bermuda who has undergone a major or minor cardiac incident", Ms Belloquet added.

"Some of our patients and their relatives, as well as healthcare professionals who refer patients to us, don't always understand what is involved in diagnostic testing procedures," she continued.

"Inviting people to the unit for informal tours is a good way to educate the public about what to expect during a diagnostic test, what to wear to appointments and what to do in order to come prepared.

"We encourage anyone affected by heart disease to stop by the unit for a 'walkabout' on either February 4 or 18. Being informed helps patients feel more comfortable and makes diagnostic procedures less intimidating."

The events will be held between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on both February 4 and 18, on the third floor of the hospital.