Fast Facts

• Heart and vascular disease is the #1 cause of death worldwide.
  - World Health Organization
   
• Over 25% of heart attack victims report no previous symptoms.
   
• 66% of US adults are overweight and 30% are obese.
   
• The prevalence of overweight adults in North America has increased by 50% in the past decade.
   
• On average, men who smoke cut their lives short by 13.2 years and female smokers lose 14.5 years.
   
• For people with heart disease, quitting smoking reduces mortality 36%, compared to people who continued to smoke.
   
• 8% of all Americans are diabetic and 24% are "pre-diabetic".
   
• About 2/3 of the deaths in diabetics are due to heart disease and stroke.
   
• 1/3 of diabetics over the age of 50 have peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
   
• Foot ulcers strike about 600,000 diabetics annually.
   
• American diabetics undergo over 80,000 amputations of toes, feet and lower legs each year.
   
• Minimally invasive catheter intervention has proven to greatly decrease need for amputation in diabetics with foot ulcers and PAD.
   
• Statin medications have proven to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death by 30-40%.
   
• Aspirin reduces the chance of heart attack by 15-20%.
   
• The risk of cardiovascular disease doubles for each 20/10-mm Hg increase in blood pressure over 115/75. Elevated blood pressure is associated with an increased incidence of death, stroke, heart attack, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease and kidney disease. Drug therapy significantly reduces cardiovascular mortality, heart attack and stroke by more than15-20%.