Know Your Risk, Strengthen Your Heart

Cardiovascular disease is America’s number one killer. Every 43 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack, and on average, one American dies from a stroke every four minutes. This month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vital Signs: Heart Age report focuses on the importance of understanding your risk factors for heart attack and stroke, such as family history, lifestyle factors and more. 

By knowing your risk, you can take action to improve your heart age and prevent a heart attack or stroke. CDC estimates that at least 200,000 cardiovascular deaths could be avoided each year.

Whether you’re at home or at the office, heart health is crucial to your wellbeing. With 155 million Americans in the workplace, Business Pulse: Heart Health, an online resource from the CDC Foundation, highlights CDC resources, programs and best practices aimed at helping employers and their workforces encourage and practice heart health.

According to CDC, the most common reasons for a higher heart age that can be changed or managed are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and diabetes. At any age, you can make your heart younger by making changes that reduce your risk.

The CDC Foundation is proud to support CDC’s efforts to protect Americans from heart attacks and strokes—in their communities and in the workplace.