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Recommendation to respectfully request City Council to recognize February as American Heart Month and support efforts to educate the public about heart disease, detection and prevention; and
Request City Manager to notify City employees and residents about participating in American Heart Month and provide information from the American Heart Association about how to take positive actions to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
DISCUSSION
Nationwide, heart disease and strokes are the No.1 & 3 leading killers, claiming the lives of nearly 500,000 every year. According to the American Heart Association, that is more than the next five causes of death in women combined. The direct and indirect cost of cardiovascular diseases in the U.S., including stroke, is estimated to be $503.2 billion per year. As a result, AHA hopes to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by at least 25% by 2010 with campaigns such as Go Red for Women Day, American Heart Month and Jump Rope for Heart that encourage men, women and children to learn more about the disease, get check-ups, exercise regularly and embrace a healthy diet.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes diseases of the heart and blood vessels. It is typically a process that begins in childhood and involves a gradual buildup of plaque inside your arteries. Plaque contains fat, cholesterol and other substances, and can grow large enough to significantly reduce blood flow through an artery. Most of the damage occurs when a plaque becomes fragile and ruptures.
Plaques that rupture can cause blood clots to form. These clots can block blood flow at the site of the rupture or can break off and travel through the artery to another part of the body. If either happens and blocks an artery that feeds the heart or brain, it causes a heart attack or stroke. Strokes can cause paralysis, affect language and vision, and cause other problems. Seeking early treatment can minimize the potentially devastating effects of a heart attack or stroke, but to receive them, a person must recognize the warning signs and act quickly.
Here are some signs a heart attack may be happening:
• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath. This feeling may occur with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs of discomfort. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or Iightheadedness.
• As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.
For more information about Go Red for Women day and ways to reduce heart disease, visit www.americanheart.org
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
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SUJA LOWENTHAL |
APPROVED: |
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COUNCILMEMBER, SECOND DISTRICT |
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PATRICK H. WEST |
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CITY MANAGER |