FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 7, 2019

LAS VEGAS – Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. During American Heart Month, the Southern Nevada Health District encourages Southern Nevadans to work with their health care providers to learn about their heart disease risk factors and the ABCS of heart disease. The Health District’s Get Healthy Clark County website’s Million Hearts page offers tools to put the ABCS into action. In addition, information and resources are available on the Spanish-language website Viva Saludable.

The ABCS of heart disease risk management – Aspirin therapy as directed, Blood pressure control, lower Cholesterol levels, and quitting Smoking – are steps to lower heart disease risks. By implementing changes to diet, increasing physical activity, and quitting smoking, most people can reduce some of their risk factors.

In December 2018, United Health Foundation released its “America’s Health Rankings Annual Report.” In the Health Rankings, it was reported that Nevada’s age-adjusted death rate due to all cardiovascular diseases was 294.2 per 100,000 population. The age-adjusted rate for the United States was 256.8 per 100,000 population. This disparity is also evident at the gender and race/ethnicity subpopulation levels. In Nevada, the age-adjusted death rate for cardiovascular diseases for females was 234.5 per 100,000, while the U.S. rate was 212.7. The age-adjusted rate for men was 360.0, compared to the U.S. age-adjusted rate of 310.3. The rate for Black/African Americans in Nevada who die from cardiovascular disease is 365.7 per 100,000. The U.S. rate is 327.6 per 100,000.

The Health District’s Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (OCDPHP) continues its Barbershop Health Outreach Project focusing on African American men by providing blood pressure screenings, education, and resources to clients at six local barbershops. Barbershop clients who have elevated or high blood pressure, who are uninsured, or who have no primary care provider are provided with additional resources to ensure they received follow-up health care services. For more information about the Barbershop Health Outreach Project and a schedule of screenings, visit  Get Healthy Clark County Manage Your Risk/Heart Disease webpage.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about half of the men who die suddenly from coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms. In women, approximately 64 percent who died suddenly had no previous symptoms.

The Health District also provides resources for health care providers to assist them when they are talking to patients about making better choices to improve their cardiovascular health. The Get Healthy Clark County website hosts a wealth of information for health care providers and patients. The Healthcare section of the website is home to resources including the High Blood Pressure Resource Toolkit and the Stroke Resource Toolkit.

The High Blood Pressure Toolkit includes clinical guidelines for providers and recommendations for monitoring blood pressure, self-monitoring interventions for patients, and fact sheets that health care professionals can distribute. The Stroke Resource Toolkit includes the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, treatment resources, and information sheets designed to complement provider conversations with patients and their families. The Health District also offers downloadable referral forms that list program resources for clinicians to “prescribe” to their patients.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.