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American Heart Month --- February 2008
February is American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Women account
for 47.1% of deaths related to heart disease
(1). In 2005, an estimated 16 million persons in the United States were
living with coronary heart disease, and 8.1 million reported ever having had a myocardial infarction (i.e., heart attack)
(1). Although the major heart attack signs and symptoms are similar for men and women, women are more likely to
experience the less common symptoms and delay seeking emergency treatment. Receipt of prompt, appropriate treatment
greatly increases the chance of surviving a heart attack
(2,3).
CDC funds heart disease and stroke prevention programs in health departments in 33 states and the District of
Columbia. A primary activity of these programs is conducting campaigns to increase public awareness of heart attack signs
and symptoms and the importance of calling 9-1-1 when experiencing these symptoms.
Mensah GA, Hand MM, Antman EM, Ryan Jr TJ, Schriever R, Smith Jr SC. Development of systems of care for ST-elevation myocardial
infarction patients: the patient and public perspectives. Circulation 2007;116:e33--e38.
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