Director's Message

Preventing cardiovascular disease is our Land of Opportunity. Growing up in Arkansas, I took the state nickname “Land of Opportunity” to heart. It inspires me to this day to find, focus, and fuel powerful actions that will improve the heart and brain health of all Americans. That’s why I’m excited to share with you the design for the next phase of Million Hearts^®, a new 5-year opportunity to come together to prevent one million cardiovascular (CV) events. While we saw important progress over the past 5 years in preventing heart attacks and strokes, we now know that decades of obesity, diabetes, and physical inactivity are threatening to halt the 40-year decline in CV disease death rates. This alarming change shows how important it is to commit to the Million Hearts^® mission, expand our partnerships, and accelerate efforts to prevent CV disease.

Committed to a continued focus on preventing CV disease and improving CV health, CDC and CMS have designed a new initiative called Million Hearts^®2022, announced at last December’s CMS Quality Conference. Based on extensive modeling, expert interviews, literature reviews, and feedback from many of you, we have developed strategies that will prevent the greatest number of CV events. Over the next 5 years, Million Hearts^® will re-double its efforts to engage and equip partners and stakeholders nationwide to reach or exceed aggressive targets that will improve CV health and care for all Americans—from the community to the clinic. Check out the Million Hearts^® 2022 framework to learn where you may fit in.

Please join us in this new opportunity to renew your commitment to preventing a million CV events by 2022.

—Janet Wright, MD, FACC Executive Director, Million Hearts^®

Do This!
The only way we—as a nation—will meet the Million Hearts^® goals is through the collective and focused action of a diverse range of partners.

As a Million Hearts^® partner, determine where your individual or organizational mission aligns with the Million Hearts^® priorities and explore the evidence-based strategies best suited to your talents, interests, and resources. Then commit with us to carry out the priority actions needed to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes.

Quick Fact
African American adults are at least 40% more likely than white adults to have high blood pressure.