CDC announces launch of Million Hearts program

Nearly half of US adults were found to be smokers or have hypertension or high cholesterol, according to recent CDC data.

In response, the US Department of Health and Human Services is launching Million Hearts in collaboration with a multitude of nonprofit and private organizations. The CDC describes Million Hearts as “a multifaceted combination of evidence-based interventions and strategies aimed at preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next 5 years.”

The aim of the program is to align programs with the resources needed to execute them with the eventual goal of altering health policy. Attention will be focused on the “ABCS” — Aspirin for people at risk, Blood pressure control, Cholesterol management and Smoking cessation — health information technology, programs to raise awareness of heart disease, improved mediation adherence, promotion of healthier lifestyles and enhanced surveillance and monitoring.

Although the program has a 5-year goal, health officials said they hope that it will continue to benefit Americans beyond that point.

CDC researchers used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to evaluate the effect and prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled LDL cholesterol and smoking in adults aged older than 20 years. They estimated that 49.7% of this population — which was estimated to be 107.3 million people — has at least one of these three risk factors. These data were from 2007 and 2008.

Other findings from the survey indicated that 21.3% of the study population had two of the three risk factors, and 2.4% had all three. Although declines were observed in 1999 and 2000 findings and 2007 and 2008 findings, due to the US population growth, the number of those with risk factors did not change significantly.

For more information, please visit the CDC website.

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