Heart Disease in
the Bluegrass State
HEART DISEASE IS DEADLY IN KENTUCKY :
Kentucky ranks 6th in heart disease death rates
for 2003, behind Mississippi, Oklahoma, DC,
Alabama, and West Virginia.
Diseases of the heart accounted for 23%
(11,291) of all deaths in Kentucky in 2003.
The death rate for heart disease was 281.3 per
100,000 in 2003.
Source: Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH). Death Certificate Files. Frankfort, Kentucky: Cabinet for Health
and Family Services, 1960-2003
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HEART DISEASE IS COSTLY IN KENTUCKY
Diseases of the heart accounted for 11%
(67,239) of all hospitalizations in Kentucky in
2004.
The hospitalization rate for heart disease was
164.8 per 100,000 in 2004, a 12% increase
from 147.4 per 100,000 in 2000.
In Kentucky, inpatient hospitalizations for
cardiovascular-related diagnoses for 2004
totaled over $2,106,997,000.
Source: Kentucky Inpatient Hospitalization Claims Files, Frankfort, KY, 2004; Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Kentucky
Department for Public Health, Office of Health Policy
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Alarming Disparities
More than half of the heart disease deaths in
Kentucky and the United States are women.
More women die of heart disease than all cancers
combined.
Only 13 percent of women identify heart disease as the
greatest health problem facing women today.
Most women fail to make the connection between
heart disease risk factors and their personal risk of
developing heart disease.
Source: American Heart Association, American Stroke Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics –
2007 Update
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What is Heart Disease?
Heart disease is a broad
term that includes several
more specific heart
conditions:
The most common heart
condition in the United
States is coronary heart
disease, which can lead to
heart attack.
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Coronary Heart Disease- CHD
CHD is the most common
type of heart disease.
CHD occurs when the
coronary arteries, that
supply blood to the heart
muscle, become hardened
and narrowed due to the
plaque buildup.
The plaque buildup and the
narrowing and hardening of
the arteries is called
atherosclerosis.
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Coronary Heart Disease- CHD (cont.)
Plaques are a mixture of
fatty substances including
cholesterol and other lipids.
Blood flow and oxygen
supply to the heart can be
reduced or even fully
blocked with a growing
plaque.
Plaques may also rupture
and cause blood clots that
block arteries.
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Heart Attack
A heart attack is also called a myocardial infarction.
If the blood supply to the heart is severely reduced or completely
blocked, heart muscle cells may not receive enough oxygen and
begin to die.
The more time that passes without treatment to restore blood flow,
the greater the damage to the heart.
This damage can cause irregular heart rhythms or even sudden
cardiac arrest or stopping of the heart beat. Death can result.
Coronary artery disease is the chief underlying cause of a heart
attack.
A less common cause of a heart attack is a severe spasm of a
coronary artery that reduces the blood supply to the heart.
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Risk Factors
Modifiable (we can control)
– High blood pressure
– Cigarette smoking
– High blood cholesterol
– Overweight and obesity
– Physical inactivity
– Diet low in fruits and
vegetables
– Diabetes
– Alcohol
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Risk Factors
Non-modifiable (we
cannot control)
– Increasing age
– Gender
– Family history
– Race
– Diabetes
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Warning Signs of a Heart Attack
If the blood supply to the heart
muscle is cut off, a heart attack
can result.
Cells in the heart muscle do not
receive enough oxygen and
begin to die. The more time that
passes without treatment to
restore blood flow, the greater
the damage to the heart.
Having high blood pressure or
high blood cholesterol, smoking,
and having had a previous heart
attack, stroke, or diabetes can
increase a person's chances of
having a heart attack.
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Warning Symptoms of a Heart Attack
Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the
chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The
discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. This can include pain or
discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
Shortness of breath. This often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also
can occur before chest discomfort.
Other symptoms. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat or feeling
nausea or light–headedness.
If you think that you or someone you know is having a heart attack, you
should call 9–1–1 immediately.
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What Can You Do?
Know your risk factors
Change/improve the risk factors
you can change
Regular check ups with your
physician
Know your numbers (Blood
Pressure, Cholesterol, weight)
Healthy lifestyle choices – diet,
exercise
Smoking cessation programs
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What Can You Do?
Prevent and control high blood
cholesterol
High blood cholesterol is a major risk
factor for heart disease.
Preventing and treating high blood
cholesterol includes eating a diet low in
saturated fat and cholesterol and high in
fiber, keeping a healthy weight, and getting
regular exercise.
All adults should have their cholesterol
levels checked once every five years.
If yours is high, your doctor may prescribe
medicines to help lower it.
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What Can You Do?
Prevent and control high blood
pressure
Lifestyle actions such as healthy diet, regular
physical activity, not smoking, and healthy weight
will help you to keep normal blood pressure levels.
All adults should have their blood pressure
checked on a regular basis. Blood pressure is
easily checked.
If your blood pressure is high, you can work with
your doctor to treat it and bring it down to the
normal range.
A high blood pressure can usually be controlled
with lifestyle changes and with medicines when
needed.
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What Can You Do?
Prevent and control diabetes
People with diabetes have an
increased risk of heart disease.
People with diabetes can take steps
to reduce their risk for diabetes
through weight loss and regular
physical activity.
For more information about diabetes,
see CDC’s Diabetes Program website
@ http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/
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What Can You Do?
Maintain a healthy weight
Healthy weight status in adults is usually
assessed by using weight and height to
compute a number called the "body mass
index" (BMI).
BMI usually indicates the amount of body fat.
An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is
considered obese.
Overweight is a BMI between 25 and 29.9.
Normal weight is a BMI of 18 to 24.9.
Proper diet and regular physical activity can
help to maintain a healthy weight.
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What Can You Do?
Regular physical activity
Adults should engage in
moderate level physical
activities for at least 30
minutes on most days of the
week.
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What Can You Do?
Diet and nutrition
Along with healthy weight and
regular physical activity, an
overall healthy diet can help to
lower blood pressure and
cholesterol levels and prevent
obesity, diabetes, heart disease,
and stroke.
This includes eating lots of fresh
fruits and vegetables,
Lowering or cutting out added
salt or sodium, and
Eating less saturated fat and
cholesterol.
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What Can You Do?
Do Not Smoke
Smoking increases the risk of high blood
pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Never smoking is one of the best things a
person can do to lower their risk.
Quitting smoking will also help lower a
person’s risk of heart disease. A person's risk
of heart attack decreases soon after quitting.
If you smoke, your doctor can suggest
programs to help you quit smoking.
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What Can You Do?
Moderate alcohol use
Excessive alcohol use
increases the risk of high
blood pressure, heart
attack, and stroke.
People who drink should do
so only in moderation and
always responsibly.
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Prevention
In principle, all people can take steps
to lower their personal risk of heart
disease and heart attack by
addressing their risk factors.
People who already have heart
disease especially need to control
their risk factors.
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Prevention is the KEY…to the future health of
Kentucky
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Sources of Information
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/
• American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtm
l?identifier=1200000
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Web Resources
Web Links/Resources
CDC’s Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program
http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, for the medical
professional
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/heart/index.htm
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, for the public
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/index.htm
American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=
1200000
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Provided by:
Kentucky Department for Public Health
Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program
502-564-7996
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