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The good news is that from 1988 to 1998, the death rate
from heart attacks declined 26.3 percent. But that news has
to be tempered with the fact that more than one million
Americans will have a new or recurrent heart attack this
year, and according to the American Heart Association, more
than 40 percent of these people will die.
Heart disease takes its toll in many ways. It remains the
number one killer in America, representing more than 40
percent of all deaths. While it is impossible to assess the
cost in terms of suffering and human life, the dollar cost
of cardiovascular diseases and stroke (care, medications,
loss of productivity) was $326.6 billion in 2000.
Whether you've been diagnosed with heart disease or are
looking to prevent heart disease, check with your family
physician to find the best ways to:
- Improve your diet, which in turn will help you lose
weight, and lower your cholesterol and blood
pressure.
- Get more exercise. Inactivity nearly doubles your
risk for heart disease, comparable to high cholesterol
and high blood pressure as a risk factor. Increased
activity improves your blood circulation, helps keep your
weight under control, improves cholesterol and blood
pressure levels, and relieves stress.
- Quit smoking.
- Control your diabetes.
Because eating right is an important component in dealing
with heart disease, Well&Good will e-mail you
heart-healthy recipes. Send your e-mail address to wellandgood@list.medicine.uiowa.edu
for UI Heart and Vascular Center recipes to help your heart be as healthy
as possible.
More information:
Listed above are several Web sites that offer additional
information on this topic. University of Iowa Health Care
does not sponsor or endorse these sites, or guarantee the
accuracy of the information contained on these sites. These
links are here for general information only, and should not
be used for personal diagnosis or treatment. If you have any
questions, please contact UI
Health Access.
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