With so much emphasis placed on COVID, it’s easy to forget that heart disease is still the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. One person dies every 36 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. About 655,000 Americans die from heart disease each year—that's 1 in every 4 deaths.
With that in mind, please read the important correspondence below from Dr. Laurence Sperling, executive director of the Million Hearts® initiative:
February is American Heart Month, an opportunity to raise awareness about heart health, motivate Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles, and work together to prevent heart disease and strokes. This year, Million Hearts® is connecting with partners to prioritize and improve hypertension control.
Join us in applauding HopeHealth, in Florence, SC, and The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center, in Columbus, OH, as new Million Hearts health systems, being recognized for their work on cardiovascular health. Visit our website to learn more about this recognition and see their upcoming spotlight stories.
In 2020, Million Hearts recognized 15 Hypertension Control Champions. These Champions achieved blood pressure control for at least 80% of their adult patients with hypertension. Together, the 2020 Champions cared for more than 200,000 adults! Join us February 24, 1–1:30 p.m. ET, to congratulate the 2020 Champions and learn how they achieved hypertension control.
Million Hearts will not be hosting a Hypertension Control Challenge for 2021. Instead, we plan to identify clinicians and health care systems that have made successful innovations in hypertension control during the time of COVID-19.
Yours in health,
Laurence Sperling, MD, FACC, FACP, FAHA, FASPC
Executive Director, Million Hearts
