American Heart Month was established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in December 1963 through Presidential Proclamation 3566, after Congress requested an annual observance. In his 1964 announcement, President Johnson urged Americans to recognize the increasing issue of heart and blood-vessel diseases and support programs for their prevention.
In 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 702,880 people in the U.S. died from heart disease, nearly 100,000 more than those who died from cancer and half a million more than those who died in unintentional accidents.
Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. for over a century, according to Erin Martinez, an adult development and aging specialist at Kansas State University. She explained that heart disease can affect people of all ages, with common risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and smoking.
Martinez emphasized that many of the significant risk factors for heart disease can be modified by changing behaviors such as diet and lifestyle. She outlined several ways to reduce risk:
- Quit all tobacco use, including cigarettes and vaping.
- Lower salt intake to reduce blood pressure.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, or canned).
- Exercise regularly.
Martinez emphasized that while heart disease risk increases with age, unhealthy habits can raise the risk at any age. Establishing and maintaining healthy habits early is essential, and even those at higher risk can improve their health with positive changes. She recommended annual healthcare visits for lab tests to monitor health trends, along with diet adjustments, exercise, stress management, and mental health support to prevent and manage heart disease.
Martinez also mentioned that K-State’s College of Human Health and Sciences updated the American Heart Association’s PREVENT calculator, which evaluates cardiovascular disease risk based on factors like age, cholesterol, and blood pressure.