Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and Mexico. For this reason, it is critical that both nations work together to address the number one killer of the population. Love Your Heart is just one effort to help residents “know their numbers” and take charge of their own heart health. The fifth annual Love Your Heart day was held on February 11, 2016, during which the County of San Diego and its partners provided free blood pressure screenings to the public at select sites throughout the San Diego region and Mexico. 

During the first binational Love Your Heart event in 2015, there were just over 30 blood pressure screening sites in Tijuana, Rosarito and Tecate. This year the number of sites increased to 82 sites in the six Mexican Border States: Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas.   Mexico reported over 13,000 blood pressures taken during the 2016 Love Your Heart event.

As part of the binational Love Your Heart effort, Northgate González Market on Coronado Avenue in South San Diego once again hosted the lead site for the binational effort. Partners from both sides of the border joined to raise awareness of heart health and offer their services. A new partner this year, Sistemas Medicos Nacionales, Sociedad Anónima de Capital Variable (SIMNSA) – a comprehensive health care service plan to provide quality healthcare for the U.S. workforce whose preference is to receive healthcare coverage in Mexico, provided free blood pressure checks and information. San Ysidro Health Center measured 55 individuals for blood pressure and BMI and provided health education and counseling at the binational Love Your Heart site. These collaborative efforts helped make this year's binational Love Your Heart event a great success.