NH DHHS - Million Hearts Initiative’s Goal Is to Prevent Heart Attacks and Stroke

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