Better Heart Health Possible with Some Basic Changes

01/21/2010

The American Heart Association is offering people some basic guidelines on ways to improve their cardiovascular health, and to potentially live long and control their medical costs in the process.

In an announcement this week, the AHA laid out seven factors and lifestyle behaviors that are heart-friendly. For example, those who have quit smoking for longer than a year can typically expect significant improvements in their heart health.

Other ways to improve cardiovascular health include engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week; maintaining a healthy body mass index; and keeping cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose levels within a moderate range.

"We achieved our 2010 goal of reducing death by heart disease and stroke by 25 percent - earlier and by a wider margin than we had targeted. However, too many people continue to have unrelenting exposure to known important risk factors for heart disease and stroke to the point that we are likely to begin seeing an increase in these diseases - and at an earlier age," said Clyde Yancy, president of the AHA.

The group's newest goal is to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent by 2020, while also reducing deaths from heart disease and stroke by that margin.

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