The Million Hearts Initiative

Heart disease and stroke are, respectively, the first and fourth leading causes of death in the United States. Cardiovascular disease alone is responsible for 1 of every 3 deaths in the U.S. and costs the nation $444 billion per year in health care expenses and lost economic productivity. To reduce this burden, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), CDC, CMS, and a broad range of public and private-sector partners have launched the Million Hearts™ initiative to enhance cardiovascular disease prevention activities with proven, effective, and inexpensive interventions.

This session of Public Health Grand Rounds examined heart disease and stroke prevention interventions, presented Million Hearts™ activities currently underway in communities such as San Diego and New York City, discussed public and private sector collaboration for this national initiative, and explored efforts to unite existing prevention efforts with innovative programs that will ultimately help Americans live longer, healthier, more productive lives.