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Million Hearts: Prevention at Work

February is American Heart Month.

This Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative seeks to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years by empowering Americans to make heart-healthy lifestyle choices, and improve care for those needing treatment. Announced on September 13, 2011, Million Hearts is co-led by CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Heart disease and stroke are the nation’s leading killers—together causing one of every three deaths. More than 2 million heart attacks and strokes occur every year and treatment for these conditions accounts for approximately $1 of every $6 healthcare dollars. Cardiovascular disease accounts for the largest single portion of racial disparities in US life expectancy.

“Heart disease takes the lives of far too many people in this country, depriving their families and communities of someone they love and care for—a father, a mother, a wife, a friend, a neighbor, a spouse,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, MPA. “Each loss deprives our society of their fullest contribution, their creativity, and their productivity. We are paying much too high a price, and together we must and we can do better.”

Know Your ABCS – The first line of defense.

"Cardiovascular disease is a big problem, and Million Hearts is a big solution," said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, speaking from the George Washington University in Washington, DC.

A primary aim of Million Hearts is to raise awareness among the public and improve clinical care by helping patients learn and follow their ABCS:
Aspirin for people at risk
Blood pressure control
Cholesterol management
Smoking cessation

Supporting Healthy Communities – The second line of defense

The second focus of Million Hearts is to reduce the number of people who need treatment in the first place.

"We know the importance of empowering Americans to make healthy choices, such as improving nutrition and reducing excess sodium, a major contributor to high blood pressure," said Sebelius. "The goal is hard because focusing on prevention means focusing on things that do not happen. When prevention succeeds, it is invisible."

But there is opportunity for action.

Seventy percent of smokers want to quit. Million Hearts will provide assistance and information to activate communities and build awareness about the benefits of smoke-free air.

Artificial trans fat has been reduced by more than half through the voluntary efforts of the industry. Million Hearts will push for further progress in reducing artificial trans fat across all food products.

More than 90 percent of us consume too much sodium, and most of that is in processed and restaurant foods, not what we add in the kitchen or at the table. Million Hearts will encourage efforts to work with industry to establish a voluntary approach to gradual reductions in sodium—so that consumers have the power to decide how much salt should be in their food.

"This is a commitment to prioritize and to hold ourselves and our communities accountable for preventing the leading cause of preventable death in this country and to use all of the dedication, ingenuity, and collaboration we can from both government and private sectors to succeed," said Frieden. "I am confident that working together, we can save a million hearts."

Hearts You Love – Take steps to protect them.

Wherever you live, work, and play – you can play a role in the success of Million Hearts.
Take simple steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from a heart attack or stroke and know your ABCS.

Go to the Million Hearts website and take a pledge to stay strong and take control of your heart health. Let’s prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the next 5 years! Be one in a Million Hearts—visit millionhearts.hhs.gov to learn more.
To watch the Faces of a Million Hearts video, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poc1eTuJJfc&feature=player_embedded