Million Hearts is a national initiative to prevent heart attacks and strokes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) co-lead it.
The first goal
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched Million Hearts in September 2011 with public and private partners. The goal was to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in five years. At that time, heart disease caused 1 of every 3 deaths in the US. Cardiovascular disease cost an estimated $444 billion a year in medical costs and lost work.
The plan focused on the “ABCS” of clinical care:
- Aspirin for people at risk
- Blood pressure control
- Cholesterol management
- Smoking cessation
It also set goals to cut average sodium intake by 20 percent and artificial trans fat intake by 50 percent by 2017.
Million Hearts 2027
The current phase aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the five years from January 2022 to December 2026. Its priorities fall into two groups:
- Building healthy communities: less tobacco use, less physical inactivity and less exposure to particle pollution.
- Optimizing care: better use of aspirin or blood thinners where right, better blood pressure control, better cholesterol management, more help to quit smoking and more use of cardiac rehab.
Million Hearts gives special attention to groups at higher risk. These include pregnant and postpartum women with high blood pressure, people with lower incomes and people in rural areas. Tools and materials are on the Million Hearts website.
See more tools in the wellness resources list.