At the end of last month, President Biden proclaimed February American Heart Month, inviting all Americans to participate in National Wear Red Day on Feb. 4.
Friday honors those the country has lost to heart disease and aims to raise awareness of the actions people can take to prevent it.
In a Jan. 31 proclamation, the president wrote that he had asked Congress to launch the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) initiative, investing billions of dollars in preventing, detecting and treating cancer, cardiovascular conditions and other diseases.
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“My administration is also working across federal agencies to develop new programs to alleviate heart health disparities, including those that threaten maternal health,” he noted.
“Continuing the fight against cardiovascular disease is crucial to improving our nation’s public health. During American Heart Month, we must recommit ourselves to ensuring a healthier future for all Americans,” Biden stated.
As the president said, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports about 659,000 people die from heart disease every year.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. (Credit: iStock)
One person dies every 36 seconds in the U.S. from cardiovascular disease, according to the agency, and about 805,000 people have a heart attack every year.
18.2 million adults age 20 and older have coronary artery disease, and certain factors put Americans at higher risk for heart disease.
Some of those factors include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, an unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.
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The World Health Organization reported in June that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally with an estimated 179 people dying from CVDs in 2019 – 32% of all global deaths.
The American Heart Association (AHA) says that CVDs accounted for 874,613 deaths in the U.S. in 2019 and coronary heart disease accounted for 360,900 deaths in 2018.
The organization also said stroke accounted for approximately one of every 19 deaths in the U.S. in 2019.
“Despite the significant progress we have made, heart disease continues to exact a heartbreaking toll – a burden disproportionately carried by Black and Brown Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and people who live in rural communities. Cardiovascular diseases – including heart conditions and strokes – are also a leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths, which are highest among women of color. Addressing these tragic disparities and improving heart health has never been more important, as people suffering from heart disease and related conditions are also at increased risk of severe illness and long-term effects from COVID-19,” the president pointed out.
The CDC reports that heart disease is also the leading cause of death for people of most racial and ethnic groups in the country, including African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic and White men.
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By living a healthy lifestyle and monitoring medical conditions, people can lower the risk for heart disease.
Physical activity, a healthy diet, less stress, avoiding smoking and vaping and getting good sleep can reduce the risk of heart disease.
The AHA and CDC both have resources on their websites for people who would like to know more about American Heart Month and heart health.
