Heart Disease and Prevention

Heart Disease and Prevention
“Heart disease, also called coronary heart disease or coronary artery disease, is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, 41.2% of all deaths in the United States were related to cardiovascular disease. About every 29 seconds one American will have a heart attack; about every minute one American will die from a heart attack. Fourteen million Americans have active symptoms of heart disease (heart attack or chest pains). Many millions more have silent coronary disease, the first indication of which can be sudden death (Ford-Martin, 2002).”
A heart attack victim is typically thought of as a middle-aged man, perhaps a little paunchy, most likely a workaholic executive type. It's a stereotype that has been reinforced by the media and by the medical profession itself, which in the past has focused much of its research into heart disease on this type of patient. However, the fact is...