(Utica, NY – Jan. 9, 2013) If you have your health, you have everything, the saying goes. But in New York, the facts about heart health are startling and alarming. Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading cause of death in New York State. For the last year that statistics are available, 2009, there were 47,283 deaths due to heart disease while another 5,950 people in New York died of stroke. Among both men and women and across all racial and ethnic groups, CVD is New York’s leading killer.
As Gov. Andrew Cuomo prepares his State of the State address, and lawmakers gear up for another year of service to their constituents, the American Heart Association urges them to take action to help New Yorkers improve their cardiovascular health. Specifically, the American Heart Association is calling for:
- CPR training for all students before graduation. Nearly 400,000 Americans suffer sudden cardiac arrest each year. Considering that nearly 90% of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital don’t survive, we need more lifesavers on the streets…and in the homes. CPR is about families helping loved ones and neighbor helping neighbor. In the event of a natural disaster or emergency, CPR training is critical.Bystander CPR can double or triple survival rates from cardiac arrest.
- Taking hidden trans fat off the menu. By eliminating artificial trans fat in all food service establishments, lawmakers will help New Yorkers manage their cholesterol and ultimately their cardiovascular health. Unlike other fats, trans fat raises LDL (“the bad”) cholesterol and lowers HDL (“the good”) cholesterol. And in these difficult fiscal times, this change can be implemented at no cost to New Yorkers.
- Screening newborn babies for heart defects. Small hearts can sometimes conceal big challenges, especially when it comes to congenital heart defects. The simple, non-invasive, low-cost test called pulse oximetry, or pulse ox, consists of sensors placed on a baby’s hand and foot to check low blood oxygen levels – a significant indicator of heart issues in babies.
- Funding for heart disease prevention, obesity prevention and tobacco control. As the leading killer of Americans and New Yorkers, CVD places massive strains on our economy. Nationwide, direct and indirect medical care costs for these diseases reached almost $450 billion in 2010 and are projected to exceed $1 trillion a year by 2030. In New York State, obesity-related health care costs alone were an estimated $11.8 billion for all New Yorkers in 2011, according to a recent report by the state Comptroller. Research indicates prevention can save money while saving lives.
“A new year means new chances for the state Legislature to do the right thing for all New Yorkers’ health,” said Dan Moran, chair of the New York State Advocacy Committee of the American Heart Association. “We hope our legislators’ top resolution this year is to pass laws that will help everyone live healthier lives.”