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A
Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke
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Section 1. Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention: Time for Action
Myths and
Misconceptions
Although data show us the
hard facts, the disease burden also can be expressed in more visual ways to
dramatize its magnitude. For example, the number of annual deaths from heart
attacks alone exceeds the number of deaths that would occur if two fully
occupied 747 aircraft crashed every day of the year with no survivors. Yet,
CVD has not aroused a level of public concern commensurate with its relative
importance.1 Why?
Among the reasons are
several myths or misconceptions about heart disease and stroke that must be
addressed as this plan gains the needed support of the public and policy
makers. These include the beliefs that heart attacks only affect the
elderly, that heart attack death is quick and easy ("the best way to go"),
that a heart attack can be "fixed" with modern medical and surgical
technology, and that heart attacks and strokes occur when "your time has
come."
The truth is very
different. Of the 945,836 people who died of CVD in 2000, 32% were younger
than age 75.1 Currently, the average expected age at death in the
United States is 76.9 years.17 As noted previously, 250,000
coronary heart disease deaths occur each year without the victim reaching a
hospital. For one–half to two–thirds of those who die suddenly of CHD, there
was no previous recognition of the disease.1 Many people who died
under these conditions had no opportunity for treatment and could only have
been saved by preventive measures that reach the population as a whole. The
more common outcome, however, is to survive for days, weeks, months, or
years. Those who survive may experience disability, job loss, or dependency,
often with long–term consequences. Survivors also have a greatly increased
risk of having another heart attack or stroke. Modern medicine and surgery
can offer great benefit to those who survive long enough to receive
treatment, but are no help to those who die suddenly following their first CVD event. There is no complete
"cure" once a heart attack or stroke has
occurred, as survivors continue to be at increased risk for another attack.1
Finally, "your time" has not yet come if readily available preventive
measures can still increase quality and years of healthy life.
These and other myths
about heart disease and stroke must be dispelled through effective
communication and education. They are significant barriers to understanding
the urgency of the CVD epidemic and the potential for preventing these
conditions.
Next Section: The Knowledge Base for
Intervention
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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 |
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