Heart Illness - A Modern Scourge

Heart Disease, or cardiovasucular disease (often shortened to CVD) has been the number one annual killer in the U.S. since 1900. Nearly 2,500 Americans die of CVD every day, an average of one death every 35 seconds, for a total of 1,408,000 deaths annually (2003 statistic). This is more than the next four causes of death (from cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, accidents, and diabetes mellitus) combined! In terms of how the death rate is impacted by CVD, according to the Center for Disease Control, if all forms of major CVD were eliminated, life expectancy for Americans (currently averaging 77.3 years), would rise by almost seven years. By comparison, if all forms of cancer were eliminated, the gain would be three years. Put another way, based on this same study, the probability at birth of eventually dying from major CVD is 47%. The chance of dying from cancer is 22%. The probability of dying from an accident is 3%. You are more than 15 times more likely to die from a heart related illness that to die in an accident. Any way you look at it, the problem has a HUGE impact on today’s society.

And while facts and statistics provide unquestionable proof that we collectively continue to lose ground in the battle against heart disease, we blatantly refuse to admit the reality of the situation. Baby Boomers are among the worst of the bunch in terms of facing this reality. It's time to face the facts, and proactively battle this illness!

I have developed a newsletter that provides heart patients with a positive and proactive approach to the battle against heart illness. It is free, published quarterly (perhaps more often is there is sufficient interest), and addresses both challenges and opportunities facing heart patients. My personal battle with the illness has spanned 39 years, and includes both my parents, and myself. I am still here, still battling, and I want to see others do the same.

The newsletter is an easy read. It is a four page document, and highlights issues that deal with Lifestyle Impacts, Emotional Stress, Peer Support, and Health & Nutrition. It is available by clicking to : Heart Newsletter Fall 2006 .

Future blogs will deal with these topics in more detail!