NIH Radio
NHLBI Adds New Resources on Heart Health
Brief Description:
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health has combined the latest information and guidance on all factors that increase risk for heart disease — or can contribute to worsening of heart disesase — into two new heart health guidebooks.
Transcript:
Schmalfeldt: A recent national survey shows that only three percent of American adults practice all of the so-called "big four" habits to help prevent heart disease: eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health has combined the latest information and guidance on all factors that increase risk for heart disease — or can contribute to worsening of heart disesase — into two new heart health guidebooks. Doctor George Sopko, a cardiologist with NHLBI and medical consultant on the booklets, talks about the first of these — called "Your Guide to a Healthy Heart."
Sopko: What you find is a succinct compilation of recommendations which are based on common sense and the evidence from multiple research studies — how to improve your lifestyle in order to optimize your cardiovascular health.
Schmalfeldt: Dr. Sopko talked about what you can find in the second booklet — "Your Guide to Living Well with Heath Disease."
Sopko: Now we're getting into a more specific type of recommendations because you already have evidence that there is a particular heart problem. Therefore, there are areas which need to be addressed. And again, the aim is going to be similar, that is optimize whatever you can within reasonable means. And the second is there needs to be assurance that the optimization is being followed through on and monitored through the future years.
Schmalfeldt: These guides are available through the NHLBI Information Center at 301-592-8573. Or you can visit http://emall.nhlbihin.net. From the National Institutes of Health, I'm Bill Schmalfeldt in Bethesda, Maryland.
About This Audio Report
Date: 4/21/2006
Reporter: Bill Schmalfeldt
Sound Bite: Dr. George Sopko
Topic: Heart Disease
Institute(s): NHLBI
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