Celebrate Heart Month
Reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke.
In early January 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new mortality data showing that since 1999, the coronary heart disease and stroke age-adjusted death rates are down by 25.8 percent and 24.4 percent, respectively.
Although heart disease death rates are declining, it is still the number one cause of death in the United States. More importantly, controlling risk factors remains a challenge for many people.
To combat heart disease and educate the public about how to decrease the risk for heart disease and stroke, Congress and the American Heart Association have proclaimed February to be American Heart Month. All month long, Penn partners with the American Heart Association to raise awareness about heart disease.
Celebrate National Wear Red Day
Join thousands of women in companies, organizations and cities across the country on National Wear Red Day, Friday, February 1, 2008. Thanks to the participation of millions of people across the United States, the color red and the red dress now stand for the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives. By wearing red and making a donation, you'll help the American Heart Association support ongoing research and education about women and heart disease.
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Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, heart failure and several other conditions, including arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy and peripheral arterial disease.
Although the age-adjusted CVD death rate has decreased, the prevalence of many related risk factors is holding steady or increasing:
Obesity |
The percentage of overweight individuals, both adults and children, has been rising for several decades:
- 66 percent of adults are overweight
- 31.4 percent of adults are obese
- 17 percent of children and adolescents ages 12 to 19 are overweight
- 7.5 percent of children ages 6 to 11 are overweight
- 14 percent of children ages 2 through 5 are overweight
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Smoking |
Smoking, which raises the risk of coronary heart disease death two to three times, remains highly prevalent:
- More than 46 million U.S. adults are daily smokers
- About 4,000 people ages 12 to 17 begin smoking every day
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Diabetes |
It is projected that the prevalence of diabetes, defined as a fasting blood glucose level of 126 milligrams per deciliter or more, will more than double from 2005 to 2050.*
- About one third of the more than 15.1 million people with diabetes don’t know they have it
- About 59.7 million people have prediabetes (a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 milligrams per deciliter), which greatly increases the risk of diabetes
*Based on 1984–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Studies |
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For more information about how you can reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke, visit the American Heart Association website or pennhealth.com.
To make an appointment with a Penn Cardiac Care specialist, call 800-789-PENN (7366).
Source: American Heart Association, Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2008 Update, http://www.americanheart.org/statistics
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