American Heart Month

Heart disease is a catchall phrase for a variety of conditions that affect the heart’s structure and function¹. This month we’re spotlighting American Heart Month in an effort to increase awareness about heart disease, as well as remind Texas Children’s Health Plan providers to encourage their patients to adopt healthy lifestyles.

It’s important to inform your patients that heart disease can be prevented by incorporating healthy choices and managing health conditions. Share the following information with your patients as part of their heart health education.

Heart disease facts²:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
• One person dies every 37 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease.
• About 647,000 Americans die from heart disease each year—that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.
• Heart disease cost the United States about $219 billion each year from 2014 to 2015. This includes the cost of health care services, medicines, and lost productivity due to death.
• An estimated 80% of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, are preventable³.

Tips for heart health:

• Incorporate lean, healthy meats into your diet.
• Season food with spices instead of salt. Eat foods low in trans-fat, saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium.
• Exercise regularly – as few as 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.
  • The concept of accumulation refers to meeting the goal of 150 minutes per week by performing activities in multiple shorter bouts, of at least 10 minutes each, spread throughout the week, then adding together the time spent during each of these bouts. For example, 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity 5 times per week⁴.
• Manage stress. Partake in stress relieving activities such as yoga and meditation.
• Stop smoking.

References:

1. nih.gov
2. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
3. https://www.heart.org/en/get-involved/advocate/federal-priorities/cdc-prevention-programs
4. https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_adults/en/