What’s Cardiovascular Disease?

2. What’s Cardiovascular Disease? CVD is heart and blood vessel diseases — diseases that affect the circulatory system.

3. Examples • Coronary heart disease (heart attack) • Cerebrovascular disease (stroke and TIA) • High blood pressure • Congestive heart failure • Congenital cardiovascular defects • Peripheral vascular disease

4. CVD Claims 500,000 Women’s Lives Every Year • CVD — kills more women than the next 7 causes of death combined • Breast cancer — kills 1 in 30 women • CVD — kills 1 of every 2.5 women

5. Women, Heart Disease and Stroke • Heart disease is women’s No. 1 killer • Stroke is women’s No. 3 killer

6. What Women Don’t Know • Coronary heart disease rates in women rise 2-3 times after menopause • Blacks are at higher risk than whites • 1 of 3 Hispanic females dies of diseases of the heart and stroke

7. Survey History • In 1997, AHA launched a major public awareness campaign on women and heart disease • In 2000 and 2003, follow-up surveys were done

8. 2003 Survey Findings • Cancer still perceived as women’s leading health problem • Women under age 45 and certain racial/ethnic groups had lower awareness that heart disease is women’s No. 1 killer • Women know of CVD risk factors in general but often not their own risks

9. Go Red For Women This campaign helps women discover unique lifesaving power by learning about heart disease and stroke and taking positive action to reduce their risk

10. Go Red For WomenSponsored nationally byWith educational grants from

11. Campaign Goals • To raise awareness • To prevent heart disease and stroke • To save lives

12. Enroll and Benefit • 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278) • americanheart.org • Choose To Move and Simple Solutions • Buy designated products from stores listed at the Go Red For Women Web site; part of the revenue supports our association

13. Impact of the February 2004 Campaign Launch • Media Impressions — more than 800 million • Contact Center — 32,397 calls in a week • Web Site — visitors doubled

14. Why We Need Go Red For WomenHigh Blood Pressure (HBP)…The Silent Killer Women age 20 and older who have HBP: • White females —30% • Black/African-American females —45% • Mexican-American females —30%

15. HBP — Learn Your Numbers • Systolic pressure (the higher number) — pressure in arteries when the heart beats • Diastolic pressure — pressure when the heart rests between beats • HBP • Systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg or more • Or diastolic pressure of 90 mm Hg or more (or both) on two or more occasions

16. Why We Need Go Red For WomenUnhealthy Cholesterol Levels Women age 20 and older with blood cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher: • White females —54% • Black females —46% • Mexican-American females —45%

17. Do You Know Your Total Cholesterol Numbers? Less than 200 mg/dL— Desirable (lower risk) 200–239 mg/dL— Borderline high (higher risk) 240 mg/dL and above — High blood cholesterol, more than twice the risk of desirable level Note: Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood.

18. Why We Need Go Red For WomenSmoking • Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the US • 21 percent of American women age 18 and older smoke — 22.6 million women

19. Smoking • If you don’t smoke, don’t start • If you smoke, quit • Avoid others’ tobacco smoke

20. Why We Need Go Red For WomenPhysical Inactivity Inactive women: • White females —36% • Black females —55% • Hispanic females —57% • Asian/Pacific Islander females — 46%

21. Physical Inactivity • Increases heart disease and stroke risk • 30 minutes or more of activity on most or all days of the week helps reduce risk by controlling blood cholesterol, diabetes and obesity and helping to lower HBP

22. Why We Need Go Red For WomenObesity / Overweight • Overweight/obese women age 20 and older: • White females —57% • Black females —77% • Mexican-American females — 72%

23. Why We Need Go Red For WomenDiabetes • American females with physician-diagnosed diabetes — 5.5% • American females with undiagnosed diabetes — 2.5% • Total American women age 20 and older with diabetes — 6 million

24. What Is Diabetes? • A progressive disease in which your body doesn’t make enough insulin / doesn’t respond properly to it • Defined as a fasting glucose of 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or more

25. Why Is Diabetes Bad? • 66-75% of people with diabetes die of some form of CVD • Diabetes lowers “good” cholesterol, and raises “bad” cholesterol and triglyceride levels • Many people with diabetes also have high blood pressure and are overweight

26. Go Red For Women Helps More Women Know Their Risk • Learn your risk factors • Live a healthy lifestyle to reduce them • Know the warning signs of heart attack and stroke

27. Heart Attack Warning Signs • Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or painin the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and returns • Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach • Shortness of breath with or before chest discomfort • Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

28. Stroke Warning Signs • Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination • Sudden severe headache with no known cause

29. Go RedFor Women!

30. Become a Health Champion! • Sign up for Go Red today by calling 1-888-MY-HEART or visiting americanheart.org • Enroll in Choose To Move and Simple Solutions • Attend your local Go Red luncheon to help raise funds for heart disease research • Contact your local AHA to learn how to get involved in your community