How to Help Your Employees Avoid the #1 Killer

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 killer of men and women in the United States, claiming 2,200 lives every day. Yet the majority of your employees may be dangerously unaware of personal heart risks or the steps to lower those risks.

Take a look at these startling numbers from AHA:

• 99% of Americans need to improve their heart health
• 72% of Americans don't consider themselves at risk for heart disease
• 60% of adults don't know their blood pressure and cholesterol numbers

Heart disease and stroke also represent major costs to employers. In 2009, the economic costs of cardiovascular diseases and stroke were estimated at $475.3 billion. Because of the aging baby-boomer genera­tion, these costs are expected to increase each year.

The good news is that employers can take preventive action to get employees heart healthy and save on health care costs. When it comes to keeping the heart healthy, there's three key numbers to know.

Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the measurement of how hard blood pumps against the walls of the arteries. High blood pressure can damage the heart. This is an easy and cheap test to offer employees.

Cholesterol 
With a simple finger prick, employees can learn if they have high cholesterol which is a major controllable risk factor for heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. 

Waist Size 
Waist circumference is a good predictor of heart disease, so if the tape measures says your employee's waistline is larger than 39 inches, they may be on the road to heart disease. 

In the battle against heart disease, knowledge is power. When employees have all the facts they can make heart health a priority. While heart health should always be important, American Heart Month is a great opporunity to re-energize your efforts. Is your wellness program doing any education or screenings to improve cardiovascular health among your employee population?

Image Credit: D. Sharon Pruitt