Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

'World Heart Day,' September 29, Alerts the Public Worldwide to the Risks of Heart Disease and Its Prevention

September 6, 2002

The third annual World Heart Day will be held on September 29 2002. It is sponsored by the World Heart Foundation (WHF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in conjunction with numerous American health associations and corporations: the American Heart Association, and among others, Kelloggs, Bayer, GlaxcoSmithKlein, Pfizer, and Proctor & Gamble. The Day's objective is to spread the message worldwide that prevention and control of heart disease and stroke may help everyone have a longer and better life. Last year, 77 countries took part in World Heart Day -- from Iceland to Indonesia and everywhere in between.
In this region, World Heart Day is promoted by the Cardiovascular Wellness and Longevity Centers of Manhattan and Westbury.

The World Heart Day 2002 motto is "A Heart for Life." This slogan was chosen in an attempt to promote prevention of cardiovascular diseases from childhood to the golden years and to improve quality of life life-long. It will stress all the risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, stroke, cholesterol and lack of exercise.
The risk factors for cardiovascular disease cannot be emphasized enough; because adopting preventive measures has been clearly shown to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and, as a result, to improve quality of life for all of us. As a means of prevention, healthy lifestyles will help people to live longer and better. Furthermore, a reduction in cardiovascular disease incidence will have a positive impact on health budgets, something that is especially important in developing countries of the world.

Here some of the facts everyone should consider
on World Heart Day 2002. Sunday, September 29

	The first World Heart Day was marked worldwide on 24 September 2000, with special events focused on physical activity and extensive media coverage designed to raise awareness of heart disease and how to prevent it.
	Cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death worldwide, accounted for 30.3% of the estimated 55.9 millions of deaths in 1999.
	The report gives guidelines for diet and exercise according to specific genders, ages, weights and levels of physical activity. E.g., a 30-year-old woman, 5'5" who lives a sedentary lifestyle should consume between 1800 Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, in all developed countries and also in many developing countries.
	By 2010, heart disease is expected to be the number one cause of death in developing countries.
	Heart disease has no geographic, gender or socio-economic boundaries.
	Heart disease is largely preventable and controllable.
	Walking is the easiest and most convenient form of exercise for most people. The most available preventive measure anyone can take.
	Preventive steps also include eating a healthy diet, not smoking tobacco products, maintaining a reasonable body weight, avoiding stress and following treatment for high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
	According to a recent World Heart Federation study, without effective intervention/prevention activities, the global pandemic of heart disease will continue to rise sharply.
	The World Heart Federation is a non-governmental organization that promotes the study, prevention and care of cardiovascular diseases throughout the world. WHF membership is made up of continental and national organizations from 92 countries. More information about World Heart Day may be found at the website www.worldheartday.com or by calling the Cardiovascular Wellness and Longevity Centers @ 1-888-HEART -90 (432-7890).