A
Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke
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A
Message from the Secretary
We at the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services are committed to improving the health of
America. With the release of A Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart
Disease and Stroke, we will tackle one of the most formidable public
health challenges of this century—reducing the burden of heart disease and
stroke.
Heart disease and stroke
are among the nation's leading causes of death and disability, projected to
cost more than $351 billion in 2003. Heart disease and stroke can affect
anyone without regard to age, race, ethnicity, sex, or income level. And as
our population ages, these largely preventable conditions are projected to
increase.
This nation has the tools
to substantially reduce the devastating impact that heart disease and stroke
have on individuals, their families, and the nation's economy. We can take
significant steps toward a heart–healthy and stroke–free America through
several actions. These include early and continuous health education that
focuses on prevention and healthy lifestyle choices; medical services that
provide the most effective drugs and therapies without disparity; and
environmental policies in schools, work sites, and communities that promote
good nutrition, regular physical activity, and abstinence from smoking.
The Action Plan
offers a new promise of success. Quite simply, this plan gives health
practitioners and policy makers a framework for developing a health care
system that equally supports treatment and prevention. This plan is a
collaborative effort designed to guide the nation in taking action,
strengthening capacity, evaluating impact, advancing policy, and engaging in
partnerships to reverse the epidemic of heart disease and stroke.
I thank the many public
and private health, social service, faith, and community professionals who
pooled their talents to develop the Action Plan—our landmark,
long–term guide for improving the nation's heart and stroke health. But a
plan is not enough. Your personal commitment is essential to accomplishing
this massive national effort. I call on all Americans to join me and to
learn what you can do to make a difference.
Tommy G. Thompson
Secretary of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Next Section: Message from the Directors of
CDC and NIH
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Date last reviewed:
05/12/2006
Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke
Prevention,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion |
