Today, September 29th, is World Heart Day. Sponsored by the World Heart Federation, this annual event was started in 2000 to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke, the world’s leading cause of death with more than 17.1 million lives lost each year. All around the globe, activities such as talks, screenings, walks, concerts and sporting events have been organized for today.
One of the main goals of World Heart Day is to educate the public about the fact that at least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided. All it takes is controlling the three main risk factors: tobacco use, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity. Beyond those, another related risk factor is high cholesterol, which was the subject of yesterday’s blog post.
Here at PatientsLikeMe, a number of patients report cardiovascular conditions as well as conditions that put them at high risk for heart disease or stroke. They include:
- Hypertension (1,943 patients)
- Diabetes Type 2 (1,282 patients)
- Cardiomyopathy (293 patients)
- Coronary Artery Disease (183 patients)
- Stroke (99 patients)
- Congestive Heart Failure (55 patients)
- Heart Attack (55 patients)
- Valvular Heart Disease (41 patients)
- Angina Pectoris (40 patients)
If you’ve been diagnosed with one of these conditions, join our growing community and connect with patients like you today. Have a loved one who’s at risk? Educate yourself about the warning signs of a heart attack or stroke. According to the World Heart Federation, over 70 percent of all cardiac and breathing emergencies occur in the home when a family member is present and available to help a victim.
