If Americans paid just a little more attention to their health, more than 1 million who might otherwise die of heart attacks and strokes over the next five years could survive. A new public-private health initiative aims to make that happen.
The program, Million Hearts, is focused on two goals:
Empowering Americans to make healthy choices such as preventing tobacco use and reducing sodium and trans fat consumption. This can reduce the number of people who need medical treatment such as blood pressure or cholesterol medications to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Improving care for people who do need treatment by encouraging a targeted focus on the “ABCS” – Aspirin for people at risk, Blood pressure control, Cholesterol management and Smoking cessation – which address the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and can help to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
“Heart disease causes 1 of every 3 American deaths and constitutes 17-percent of overall national health spending,” said U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “By enlisting partners from across the health sector, Million Hearts will create a national focus on combating heart disease.”
By empowering Americans to make healthy choices and improving care, Million Hearts strives to achieve the following specific goals:
Indicator | Baseline | 2017 goal |
Aspirin use for people at high risk | 47% | 65% |
Blood pressure control | 46% | 65% |
Effective treatment of high cholesterol (LDL-C) | 33% | 65% |
Smoking prevalence | 19% | 17% |
Sodium intake (average) | 3.5g/day | 20% reduction |
Artificial trans fat consumption (average) | 1% of calories/day | 50% reduction |
“Through this public-private partnership, Million Hearts focuses on the areas that will save the most lives. It leverages and aligns current investments and is a great example of getting more health value from our existing health investments,” said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.
“If we succeed in achieving our Million Hearts goals, 10 million more Americans with high blood pressure will have it under control, 20 million more Americans with high cholesterol will have it under control, and 4 million fewer Americans will smoke by 2017.”
Private sector organizations participating in the program include:
The American Heart Association will help monitor progress of the initiative’s goals and provide consumers with access to their heart health management tools, including Heart 360, My Life Check, and the Heart Attack Risk Calculator.
Walgreens will engage its more than 26,000 health care providers to support the Million Hearts initiative’s prevention goal by providing blood pressure testing at no charge in consultation with a Walgreens pharmacist or Take Care Clinic Nurse Practitioner.
The Y is aiming to expand coverage of the Y’s Diabetes Prevention Program as well as the successful National Diabetes Prevention Program and CDC’s Healthy Communities Program to better address risks for diabetes, heart attacks, and stroke.
Pat Staley (Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:35:59 +0000): They could start by leaving people alone and stop giving pills out that cause these conditions. Who knows how many people are on something that don't need it.