Main Category: IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 14 Dec 2011 - 9:00 PST
email to a friend 
printer friendly 
opinions 
The national Million Hearts initiative offers help to many people who are stuck looking for the perfect seasonal gift for their loved ones. Whether someone is rich or poor, everyone appreciates good health. The national Million Hearts initiative has come up with a new idea for the perfect new gift; their online postcards, known as e-cards are offering people giving a gift the opportunity to take care of their own health as a present to a loved one. The e-card is available free on the Internet as well as Facebook and Twitter at http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/.
Janet Wright, M.D., executive director of Million Hearts explains:
"Family members worry about loved ones who are at risk for heart disease or stroke. When someone pledges to learn how to improve their health, we show respect for ourselves, and the lives we share with others. Nothing shows our love like actions that allows us to enjoy the seasons together for years to come.Even though many health-related e-cards indicate that others 'do something', these cards actually show people that "you get it-your health matters."
One in three people in the United States die from cardiovascular disease. Every day 2,200 people die from cardiovascular disease and over 2 million Americans suffer heart attacks and strokes every year.
Million Hearts aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes across the United States over a five-year period. One strategy is for people to learn and improve their 'health ABCS', which stands for aspirin, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation.
The goal of Million Hearts is to decrease the amount of people in need of treatment through prevention and improved ABCS management. At the moment, less than half of the American population at the highest risk of cardiovascular disease takes daily aspirin, fewer than 50% of people with hypertension have adequate control over their disease, whilst just a third of Americans with high cholesterol levels receive adequate treatment, and less than a quarter of smokers seek help to stop.
Wright explained:
"Many people are disabled because of heart disease and stroke, with more than 3 million people across the country reporting serious illness and decreased quality of life. Most major risk factors, including blood pressure, are controllable.Greater attention and focus on blood pressure control, by patients and their care teams and families, will dramatically reduce deaths and disability from heart attack and stroke."
Million Hearts, a public-private initiative that involves multiple federal agencies and key private organizations, was launched by the Department of Health and Human Services this fall to help Americans live longer and more productive lives. The initiative is securing commitments and participation from many other partners in health care, public health, industry, and government. For more information and to support Million Hearts, please click here.
Written by Petra Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
MLA
14 Dec. 2011.
Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.
Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.
All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)
Contact Our News Editors
For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.
Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:
Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.
