With 1 in 4 Americans dying annually of heart disease, The Centers for Disease Control names heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States. And, the cost is enough to give anyone heartburn: according the American Heart Association, in 2016 cardiovascular disease cost America $555 billion dollars. The future is even more bleak with projections indicating by 2035 the cost will skyrocket to $1.1 trillion.
As with many diseases, prevention and/or management of a health issue is key. While risk factors for heart disease can include any combination of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, poor diet, lack of physical activity and excessive alcohol intake, management of these factors can go a long way in preventing actual heart attacks or heart failure.
The good news? With lifestyle changes – such as implementation of a healthy diet, physical exercise, decrease in alcohol use, and possible medication to control high blood pressure, patients are able to lower their risks for heart disease and live longer, healthier lives. Even in patients with higher risk factors for heart disease, lifestyle changes can make a vast improvement in decreasing their chances of developing this deadly condition.
Even better news: for AllHealth CHOICE participants, our MyCharlie app with the latest in remote health and activity monitoring, telehealth and care technologies, along with 24/7 nurse care managers, helps pro-actively monitor and manage people with advanced diseases and complex chronic diseases, improving outcomes, reducing readmissions, and therefore, reducing healthcare costs. Interested in how to reduce healthcare costs while improving the health of employees or covered lives? Contact AllHealth Choice today.
