KMA Health Priorities -- Cardiovascular Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. One in every four deaths across the U.S. – about 610,000 Americans – are the result of heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly half of all Americans – 49 percent – have at least one of the key heart disease risk factors: high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and smoking. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices contribute to an increased risk of heart disease, including diabetes, obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use.

The kyhealthnow initiative set a goal of reducing Kentucky’s cardiovascular death rate of 217.7 per 100,000 by 10 percent by 2020. Several state and national organizations offer resources to address risk factors and heart disease.

Resources

• American Heart Association
• American Stroke Association
• CDC: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention 
• CDC’s Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program 
• Go Red for Women
• Kentucky Department for Public Health
• Kentucky Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program
• National Cholesterol Education Program
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute – for the medical professional 
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute – for the public 
• National High Blood Pressure Education Program
• National Stroke Association 
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• University of Kentucky Gill Heart Institute Patient Resources