Heart Disease and the Workplace

Overview

Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and claimed more than 616,000 lives in 2008, almost 25% of all deaths that year. For years, medical research has steadily found clues that indicate chronic mental stress could be directly linked heart disease. And as we all know, no place does one experience more consistent levels of high-stress than at their place of employment.

Knowing this, now more than ever, employers are being encouraged to take every step necessary toward providing a healthier work environment.

Below is map that locates deaths caused by Heart Disease between the years 2000 and 2006.

Statistics for Employers

- The cost of health care is surging at extraordinary rates. As a result, over the past five years, health insurance premiums for businesses have increased nearly five times faster than inflation and four times faster than wage growth. - The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Employee Health Benefits: 2006 annual survey. 26 September, 2006

- Major U.S. Employers use of wellness incentives in health and wellness programs is on the rise, growing to 71 percent in 2008 from 62 percent in 2007. - Workforce Management- September 16, 2008

- 53% of U.S. adults think it is fair to ask those with unhealthy lifestyles to pay more for their health insurance. This is up from 37% only three years ago. - Wall Street Journal, Harris Interactive Poll

- Chronic diseases related to lifestyle account for 75% of national medical costs. Eleven separate studies from the Centers for Disease Control suggest that worksite wellness programs can produce significant improvements in employee health. - Centers for Disease Control. Chronic Disease Overview 2007

- Every year U.S. employers spend over $196 billion in excess costs and lost productivity of those affected by tobacco use - on average an excess cost of $15 per smoker per day, or $5,445 per year. - Barlett JC, Miller LS, Rice DP, Max WB. - Medical care expenditures attributable to cigarette smoking - United States, 1993.

Heart Attack vs Cardiac Arrest

Whatever the reason, most people today do not know the difference between a Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest. It's important to be aware of the difference and to know whether you're at any kind of risk or not.

A HEART ATTACK is when the heart muscle dies because of a lack of blood supply. A heart attack can be a slow progression of events that produces warning signs and symptoms. The dead area of the heart causes pain that typically radiates to the left arm and jaw. There are many other symptoms: shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, and angina. Because the heart attack victim experiences symptoms, treatment is possible, and many survive.

CARDIAC ARREST is a fatal malfunction of the heart's electrical system. Cardiac arrest has no warning signs; the event of death is the first and only symptom. When a person has a cardiac arrest, the heart rhythm converts, most of the time, to a rapid fluttering of the heart called ventricular tachycardia and then quickly turns into the chaotic, unproductive ventricular fibrillation (VF). VF moves no blood around the body; the victim loses consciousness, loses pulse and breathing, and then passes out. All of these happen within just a brief moment of time.

More Facts about Heart Disease

- Every 34 seconds, someone in the United States dies from Heart Disease
- Every 20 seconds, someone in the United States dies from a HEART ATTACK
- More than 2500 Americans die from Heart Disease every day
- Men typically suffer from Heart Disease 10 years earlier than women
- Heart Disease accounts for almost 6 million hospitalizations and $2.5 billion dollars a year
- Most deaths from Heart Disease were not random and could have been prevented