Senator Kent Williams On American Heart Month

If you’re like most people, you think that heart disease is a problem for other folks. However, many are suffering from heart disease without realizing it.
You might know someone who has cardiovascular disease because 80 million Americans have some form of it.
This disease includes a variety of problems, including high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, chest pain, heart attacks, and strokes.
Since February is American Heart Month I would like to share some facts about heart disease with you.
In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson declared February as American Heart Month as a way to both raise awareness of heart disease risk factors, as well as to educate the country about ways to reduce and eliminate them.
Since 2004, February also has been the signature month for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women campaign and the message that heart disease is not only a man’s problem.
Heart disease kills an estimated 630,000 Americans each year. It’s the leading cause of death for both men and women. 1 in 3 people in the U.S. have some form of heart disease, which can include severe chest pain, heart attacks, heart failure, and stroke.
Every day, 2,200 people die from cardiovascular disease—that’s 815,000 Americans each year. In the United States, the most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD), which can lead to a heart attack. You can greatly reduce your risk for CAD through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication.
Heart disease kills roughly the same number people in the United States each year as cancer, lower respiratory diseases (including pneumonia), and accidents combined. Together, heart disease and stroke are among the most widespread and costly health problems facing the nation today, accounting for more than $444 billion in health care expenditures and lost productivity in 2010 alone—and these costs are rising. On a personal level, families who experience heart disease or stroke not only have to deal with medical bills but also lost wages and the real potential of a decreased standard of living.
These statistics show that it is very necessary for everyone to understand the facts about heart disease. With proper knowledge, even if you do not have heart disease, you will know the best ways to protect yourselves. Healthy lifestyle and proper amount of exercise is the best thing that you can do to prevent heart disease.
As with all matters concerning state government, I want to hear your opinions and suggestions concerning these issues. Please contact me in my Columbia office located at 602 Gressette Office Building. You can reach me, or a member of my staff in Columbia at (803) 212-6008 or by fax at (803) 212-6011. My district office is located at 1305 N. Main Street, Marion, SC 29571, the phone number is (843) 423-8237 and the fax number is (843) 431-6049. You may also email me at kentwilliams@scsenate.gov. My business phone is (843) 423-3904.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email