Cardiovascular disease information

Cardiovascular disease is a broad term that includes heart disease (commonly known as heart attack), stroke, heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, and diseases of the arteries, veins and circulatory system. On average, one Coloradan dies every hour due to cardiovascular disease.

 Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among every racial or ethnic group. Asian American and Pacific Islanders are usually viewed as having good health and long lives when, in fact, they experience health disparities which negatively impact their quality of life. Cardiovascular disease was related to 35% of deaths for AAPI men and 36% of AAPI women.

  Asian-American/Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States and despite having experienced triple digit increase in population for every decade since 1970, little is known about their cardiovascular health status.

• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, your back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

Warning signs of Stoke

• Sudden weakness or numbness 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

Key Steps to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke

• Don’t smoke, and avoid other people’s tobacco smoke.
• Lower your blood pressure if you need to.
• Eat a healthy diet low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.
• Be physically active.
• Keep your weight under control.
• Get regular medical check-ups.
• Follow your doctor’s orders for taking medicine.
• Control your blood sugar if you have