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The Heart Truth Is: Heart Disease is a Woman's Issue
Heart Disease is the #1 killer of women, regardless of race or ethnicity. Although significant progress has been made in raising awareness among
women about heart disease, from 34 percent to 57 percent in just 4 years, most women fail to make the connection between risk factors, such as
high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and their personal risk of developing heart disease. Only 20 percent of women identify heart disease as the
greatest health problem facing women today, and awareness levels are lower among African American and Hispanic women. Experts at the National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute encourage women to talk to their doctors to find out their personal risk for heart disease and how they can take action
to lower it. For more information, visit www.hearttruth.gov. |
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Heart Disease: 356,014
Stroke: 100,050
Lung Cancer: 67,542
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: 64,103
Breast Cancer: 41,514
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Caucasian: 60%
Hispanic: 42%
African-American: 38% |
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1997: 30%
2000: 34%
2003: 46%
2004: 57%
Yet ONLY 20% identified heart disease as the greatest health problem facing women today. |
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Overweight/Obese: 65% (2000)
Physically Inactive: 40% (2002)
High Blood Pressure: 30% (2000)
Cigarette Smoking: 20% (2002)
High Blood Cholesterol: 19% (2000)
Diabetes: 8.7% (2002) |
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| The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease sponsored
by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
To access camera-ready artwork, as well as photography and other creative materials for The Heart Truth campaign, visit www.hearttruth.gov. If you have questions, contact media@hearttruth.org. |
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