Health

U.S. Plan Targets Heart Disease, Stroke

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U.S. Plan Targets Heart Disease, Stroke

From: Duke and the Doctor

Date: Fri April 18, 2003 12:48 pm

Subject: U.S. Plan Targets Heart Disease, Stroke

WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) - Federal health officials on Tuesday unveiled a national plan aimed at cutting Americans' risk of cardiovascular disease.

The plan seeks to emphasize heart disease and stroke as major preventable public health problems and to focus federal, state and local authorities on research and convincing the public to live healthier lifestyles.

Heart disease was blamed for 711,000 deaths in 2000, making it the nation's leading cause of death. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death, behind cancer, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Smoking, obesity and high blood pressure are all major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

"These leading causes of death for men and women are largely preventable," said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. "We must start emphasizing prevention of this epidemic."

The CDC estimated Tuesday that heart disease and stroke together will cost the nation $351 billion in medical and disability costs in 2003.

The plan calls for more-coordinated monitoring of cardiovascular disease in the population and for stepped-up research into how to reduce risk factors. It also calls on state and local health agencies to promote heart health and disease prevention, and urges government institutions to enact policies "that are favorable to health."

A report outlining the plan urges the use of prevention strategies in a wide range of settings, including schools and work places. It also directs officials to come up with ways of addressing prevention messages to different demographic and cultural groups.

"Only a comprehensive approach can most effectively control the progressive development of risk factors and disease outcomes," the report states.

Health departments should also work to harmonize criteria used in heart disease research, in an attempt to make study results more widely applicable, according to the report.

The American Heart Association praised the plan, saying it would help make heart disease "a number-one priority" of health departments.

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