Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Workshop
The New Mexico Department of Health announced it is taking part in a national initiative to reduce heart attacks and strokes in New Mexico. About 4,000 New Mexicans die every year from heart disease and stroke.
The Million Hearts® Stakeholders Workshop will be held in Albuquerque on Friday, June 13 @ 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. The workshop will be held at the Southwestern Carpenters Union, 3900 Pan American Freeway NE, Albuquerque.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services started the Million Hearts® Initiative with a goal to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017.
“The Million Hearts® Workshop is a great opportunity for doctors, nurses and partners to come together and talk about strategies to help New Mexicans prevent heart disease and stroke,” said Department of Health Secretary Retta Ward, MPH. “The workshop will also allow time for participants to share ideas and design action steps to help prevent heart attacks and strokes in our state.”
Results will be shared nationwide. New Mexico is one of five states to receive a competitive grant this year to help put on the workshop. The Department and many partners and stakeholders have been working to organize the workshop, including the National Association for Chronic Disease Directors, HealthInsight New Mexico and the American Heart Association.
High blood pressure may lead to cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. The number of New Mexicans with high blood pressure has steadily increased. Data from 2011, the most recent available, shows that about 30 percent of New Mexico adults reported having high blood pressure.
The Department of Health has established the Heart Disease and EMS Stroke/STEMI. Its mission is to promote cardiovascular health for all New Mexicans and reduce the impact of heart attack and stroke. Through the Million Hearts® Initiative, the program hopes to help New Mexicans better control blood pressure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Million Hearts® recommend the following to help reduce the risk of heart disease:
- Talk to your healthcare professional about your ABCS - Aspirin use for those who need it, Blood pressure control, Cholesterol management, Smoking cessation. Know your numbers and work with your provider to manage them.
- Choose foods which are low in saturated fats, low in sodium and high in fiber. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Be physically active. 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity every week is recommended. That is 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
- Don't smoke and limit alcohol use. 1-800-QUIT-NOW, or 1-855-DEJELO-YA are the toll free numbers to receive free tobacco cessation assistance.
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