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Overview of the Comprehensive Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program

Reduce cardiovascular disease and improve quality of life through social, policy, and environmental change.

In July 2002, the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention was awarded funding through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand efforts to prevent and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Florida. The funding allows for creating systems changes that encourage use of effective strategies for prevention and improving the quality of care of heart disease and stroke; e.g., control of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and effective emergency response to heart attacks and strokes. The program uses primary prevention interventions to reduce the incidence of heart disease and stroke and secondary prevention interventions to reduce the consequences of heart disease and stroke. Program activities are focused at both the community and statewide level.

All residents of Florida benefit from the program. However, there are two priority target populations: women and populations disparately at risk for heart disease and stroke. Each year approximately 13,000 women die of heart disease. Women are almost 50% more likely than men to die from heart attacks. Women who suffer a first heart attack are at more than 70% greater risk of death or readmission to a hospital than men. More women than men die from heart attacks within the first year after their first heart attack. Heart disease can be harder to diagnose in women who have different and subtler symptoms of heart attack than men.

In general, cardiovascular diseases disproportionately affects members of minority races and ethnic groups resulting in higher death rates, a greater prevalence of disease, and a greater prevalence of risk factors. In some cases, the disease burden is apparent at younger ages as well. In Florida, African Americans have higher cardiovascular disease death rates in general, and higher stroke death rates in particular. Additionally, African Americans are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to have high blood pressure and diabetes and to be overweight and physically inactive. They are less likely to be current cigarette smokers.

1. Partner with the Chronic Disease Health Promotion and Education Program to implement statewide policy, environmental, and educational interventions that promote primary and secondary prevention of heart disease and stroke and eliminate health disparities.

2. Provide training health professionals to increase use of guidelines for detection and treatment of heart disease and stroke.

3. Promote awareness of signs/symptoms of heart attack and stroke, emergency response, 911, and automated electronic defibrillators through media campaigns, pamphlets, and website.

4. Update the Cardiovascular Surveillance Summary and State Plan for Action.

5. Implement a comprehensive cardiovascular health strategic plan that focuses on collaboration and coordination of existing public and private plans, resources, and efforts.

6. Expand the scientific capacity of the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program to define and address the heart disease and stroke burden by implementing the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) module on Heart Attack and Stroke Awareness, and by assessing policy and environmental supports, population-based strategies, and guideline compliance.

7. Maintain the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program website.