Quick Facts

What is heart disease? 

Heart disease refers to any disease or condition of the heart, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, congenital heart disease, disorders of the heart valves, infections of the heart, cardiomyopathy, conduction disorders, and rhythm disorders.

What is stroke?

Also called a "brain attack" and happens when brain cells die because of inadequate blood flow. 20 percent of cases are a hemorrhage in the brain caused by a rupture or leakage from a blood vessel. 80 percent of cases are also know as a "ischemic stroke", or the formation of a blood clot in a vessel supplying blood to the brain.

What are the warning signs for heart attack?

• Feel a pressure or crushing pain in your chest, sometimes with sweating, nausea or vomiting. 
• Feel pain that extends from your chest into the jaw, left arm or left shoulder. 
• Feel tightness in your chest. 
• Have shortness of breath for more than a couple of seconds.

What are the warning signs for stroke?

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body 
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding 
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes 
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination 
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause 

The risk of heart disease and stroke can be reduced by:

• Increasing physical activity
• Maintaining a healthy body weight
• Eating a balanced diet
• Quitting smoking and tobacco use
• Lowering high blood cholesterol
• Lowering high blood pressure
• Controlling diabetes

<< Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program