Sarah Gonzalez

Potter
English 120
The Urgency of Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Every year hundreds of
thousands of people die from this terminal disease. But how many people actually understand
what it is? The general public is staggeringly misinformed about the serial killer known as
coronary artery disease. Statistically, those with low income and minorities in the U.S. have a
greater risk for developing heart disease. Considering New Mexico is one of the poorest states in
the U.S., with the majority made up of minorities, our community is at an even greater risk. It is
our responsibility as health care providers to address these concerns, and reach out to our
community to help. By better informing our community about heart disease, the general public
will have a greater understanding of preventative measures, warning signs of the disease, what
donation money is being used towards, and why this disease is more prevalent than others
affecting our population.
There are several factors that contribute to the development of heart disease. Many of
them are controllable, while others may come by default. Among American adults over have
one or more risk factors (DeSilva 210) for developing heart disease. The amount of people
affected is staggering. Which is why informing our community of these risk factors is crucial.
Controllable factors contributing to heart disease are high cholesterol, high blood pressure,
smoking, diabetes, and inactivity. Many Americans suffer from more than one of these factors.
Things that cant be controlled, (such as) age, race, and gender (DeSilva 210) add on to the
risk. Our community is widely influenced by all of these. Considering minorities, and low

income effect the onset of heart disease, the majority of our population is already being set up
with poor odds. Add any of the controllable factors onto that and the chances of developing heart
disease increases dramatically. But, if those controllable factors are eliminated, and health is
improved, then individuals have a greater chance of avoiding early development. Which is why
we need to provide more thorough information to the public. Convincing others that their health
decisions in life can save them from a disease later could decrease mortality rates and increase
quality of life.
Not only should the public be informed about ways they can prevent heart disease, but
they should also know the symptoms to look for. Even with preventative measures being taken,
the risk for heart disease still exists. About 47% of sudden cardiac deaths occur outside a
hospital (Heart Disease Facts). That means nearly half of all cardiac emergencies happen when
a medical physician is not present to assess the situation. If someone knows the symptoms to
look for, then the disease could be caught and treated early. Though a patient should always go to
a doctor for a thorough examination and diagnosis, being able to identify symptoms can prevent
extreme cases such as cardiac arrest. Common, simple signs to look out for are shortness of
breath, palpitations (irregular heart beats), weakness or dizziness, nausea, and sweating
(Symptoms of Heart Disease). These are useful concepts that the average person should know
to help themselves and others. Being able to identify these symptoms could save someone or
their loved one. Catching the disease early is important and could result in longer life spans.
Considering heart disease is the number one killer in America, it is extremely costly. In
2010 coronary vascular diseases cost $316 billion to the nation, ( DeSilva 207) including cost
of hospital treatments and care, medicine, research, etc. With such a costly burden to the nation,
heart disease also takes a great toll on communities with higher risk such as ours. Public support

revenue, or donations, was $555 million for 2013-2014 (American Heart Association 12). The
disease costs exponentially more than we are supporting through donation. Which is why we
need to promote supporting organizations such as the American Heart Association. In the long
run, the more money donated by individuals, the less of a financial burden it is on the
community. With greater campaigning the amount of money donated increases. Additionally, the
American Heart Association is an organization that can be trusted by charity givers. If people
know that their money is going to valuable research, education, and advocacy efforts,
(American Heart Association 12) then they can feel comfortable working with that association.
The public needs to be persuaded to donate their money to the American Heart Association, as
opposed to donating elsewhere.
So why heart disease? Why does it require our attention more than other diseases?
Simply put, it is responsible for more than 786,000 deaths per year (American Heart
Association 5) in the U.S. It is the largest epidemic our nation has had to face. It is our
responsibility to bring understanding and knowledge about health to the public. I am not saying
that cancer, MS or other diseases are not important and should not be addressed. But I do believe
that our biggest health concern in America should be tackled first to save the most lives. Since
heart disease can be a result of other diseases, by spreading awareness we are also recognizing
problems such as diabetes, obesity, smoking, and all other factors that contribute to an unhealthy
heart. Promoting heart disease awareness promotes overall health and improves the lives of our
community.
This can be accomplished several ways. My first suggestion is increased funding to
health awareness classes. This gets people informed early. I also believe that advertising in high
populated areas reaches the largest audience. If someone sees an ad that reminds them to get their

health checked on a regular basis, diseases can be caught and treated early. Additionally, I think
we should put effort into targeting the youth. Promoting a healthy lifestyle early on can influence
a generations health in the future. Hopefully by better increasing awareness people will be more
conscious of their health related choices and what a burden heart disease is to our community.
Millions of families are affected by heart disease, greater awareness and support can help
lift the burden from our community and ultimately our nation. We can no longer just passively
take care of those already suffering, we must proactively reach out to everyone and help before
its too late.

Works Cited
American Heart Association. (2013). Annual Report. Dallas, Texas. Print.

DeSilvia, Regis. Heart Disease. Santa Barbara: Greenwood, 2013. Print.

Heart Disease Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC, February 15 2015.
Web. March 4 2015.
Symptoms of Heart Disease. WebMD Medical Reference. WebMD. January 29 2015. Web.
March 4 2015.
Weidner, Gerdi, et al. Heart Disease: Environment, Stress and Gender. Amsterdam;
Washington: IOS Press, 2002. Print.