Given the severity of this disease for both women and men, it is all the more alarming that the danger posed by heart disease to women is so little known. The risk of heart disease can be considerably reduced with good diet and regular exercise. Whatever our age or physical condition, or however busy we may be, we can all do something to stay healthy. That is why it is so important to raise awareness of this disease, so that women, as well as men, can take the steps that can help to make them healthier and to avoid early heart disease.
I recently attended a ceremony at the White House with survivors of heart disease at which President Bush declared February "National Heart Month." Mrs. Bush also spoke at the event, as part of the "Heart Truth" campaign, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and various partner organizations, including the American Heart Association.
The Heart Truth campaign's goal is to give women a personal and urgent wake-up call about their risk of heart disease, and a major part of that initiative is the launching of the first annual National Wear Red Day, Friday, February 6. The symbol of the Heart Truth campaign is a red dress, intended to remind women about the dangers to their health and to inspire them to take action. On National Wear Red Day, the campaign encourages everyone to wear red – a favorite red dress, shirt, or tie – to help remind women about their risks. As many Mainers know, I am a big fan of red dresses!
In urging Americans to do their part to raise awareness of the risks of heart disease, Mrs. Bush emphasized four simple goals that all women should try and incorporate within their own lives: exercise daily; eat right; avoid tobacco, drugs and excessive alcohol; and get preventive screenings to detect problems early. By focusing on these common-sense steps, the risks of dying from heart disease can be significantly lowered.
I am proud have participated in the Heart Truth campaign, and I have taken numerous other steps during my time in the U.S. Senate to help reduce the threat posed by heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. Of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who die each year from sudden cardiac arrest, the American Heart Association estimates that as many as one life in five could be saved if more people had access to automated external defibrillators, or AEDs. AEDs are easy-to-use, computerized devices that can shock a heart back into normal rhythm and restore life to a cardiac arrest victim, but they have to be used quickly. For every minute that passes before a victim's normal heart rhythm is restored, his or her chance of survival falls by as much as 10 percent.
AEDs make it possible for trained lay rescuers and professional emergency workers alike to deliver defibrillation safely and effectively. They are specifically designed so that they can be used by non-medical personnel such as police, fire fighters, security guards, and others who have been properly trained. Cities across America have begun to recognize the value of fast access to AEDs and are making them available to emergency responders. In many small and rural communities however, limited budgets and the fact that so many rely on volunteer organizations for emergency services can make acquisition and appropriate training in the use of these life-saving devices problematic.
That is why I joined forces with Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold to introduce the Rural AED Act, which increases access to these devices for small towns and rural communities where those first on the scene may not be paramedics or others who would normally have AEDs. Our legislation, which was signed into law in November 2000, authorizes $25 million for grants to community partnerships consisting of local emergency responders, police and fire departments, hospitals and other community organizations. This money can then be used to train potential responders in their use, as well as in basic CPR and first aid. As a result of this legislation, Maine Emergency Medical Services received a federal grant in the amount of $274,316 to help rural communities purchase AEDs. Maine Emergency Medical Services has allocated AEDs to fire and rescue services, health clinics, nursing homes, and schools in rural communities through our state.
I also recently cosponsored the Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention (STOP Stroke) Act to authorize a number of new initiatives to save lives, reduce disability, and improve the quality of stroke care. This legislation, which is a top priority of the American Heart Association, authorizes grants to states to develop statewide programs for stroke care to reduce the level of disability cause by stroke. It also aims to improve the care of stroke patients.
Heart disease is the nation's leading killer, and yet awareness of the danger it poses – especially to women – is far too low. Efforts like the Heart Truth will help alert Americans, particularly women, of the threat heart disease poses, but it will require initiative on all everyone's part to educate neighbors, friends, and colleagues about the deadly statistics, as well as the steps that can be taken to prevent heart disease and strokes.