Public Information Office
(603) 271-9391
April 5, 2012
Concord, NH – As part of National Public Health Week, the New Hampshire (NH) Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) is recognizing the Million Hearts Initiative to raise awareness about efforts underway to reduce heart disease and stroke.
Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in New Hampshire and stroke is the fifth leading cause. The Million Hearts initiative was launched in September 2011 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with the goal of preventing one million heart attacks and strokes in the United States over the next five years. Other federal partners include the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Food and Drug Administration. The American Heart Association is one of many key private-sector partners.
Million Hearts brings together a wide range of heart disease and stroke prevention program policies and activities to raise awareness among health care providers, private-sector organizations, policymakers, and consumers about what can be done to prevent heart disease and stroke and help Americans live longer, healthier, and more productive lives.
"At the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, we have pledged our commitment to work on the Million Hearts initiative through our Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Obesity Prevention, and Tobacco Prevention and Control Programs,” said Dr. José Montero, Director of the Division of Public Health Services. “We understand the devastating impact of cardiovascular disease and are committed to work in the State to reduce the burden on our residents.”
Million Hearts priorities include:
1. Empowering Americans to make healthier choices by preventing tobacco use and limiting 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.
2. Improving care for people who do need treatment by encouraging a targeted focus on the “ABCS” protocol—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 prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Worksites can offer educational campaigns to increase awareness about heart disease prevention and encourage employees to take control of their heart health. Individuals can improve their health by participating in physical activity, taking aspirin if advised by a physician, monitoring their blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing sodium and trans-fats in their diet, and talking to their healthcare provider about quitting smoking. In addition, all worksites can encourage heart-healthy behaviors by maintaining a smoke-free environment, and offering heart-healthy foods (fresh fruits and vegetables and foods low in sodium, saturated fat, trans-fats, and cholesterol).
For more information about the Million Hearts initiative, visit www.millionhearts.hhs.gov. To contact the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program at DHHS call 1-800-852-3345. For more information about quitting smoking, eating healthier, and exercising more, visit the DHHS website at www.dhhs.nh.gov or the CDC website at www.cdc.gov.
The Million Hearts campaign is one of the topics DHHS is focusing on this week in recognition of National Public Health Week; for more information go to www.nphw.org.