Indiana lacks heart disease program

Cardiovascular disease is Indiana’s No. 1 killer. However, the state is still one of the few that has not created a statewide education program about heart disease.

According to the American Heart Association Web site, Indiana is one of eight states that has not received funding from legislation to create a comprehensive statewide program to address heart disease education, early prevention and treatment. 

Sam Denton, grassroots advocacy director at the American Heart Association, said heart disease kills about 15,000 Hoosiers each year. 

“Our legislators don’t spend a single dollar to educate about the disease, even though it’s the No. 1 killer in Indiana,” Denton said. “Last week we held our annual Lobby Day at the Indiana State House to educate about the overall burden of the disease and to encourage legislators to fund and develop a statewide cardiovascular program.”

Denton said Lobby Day was successful because it helped get the attention of lawmakers. He said he hopes the State Department of Health will create a program best suited for Indiana. 

“A lot of lawmakers do not realize heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the state of Indiana, and stroke being No. 4,” Denton said. “There are programs dedicated to other chronic diseases and programs, but not this specific one.”

Susan Carter, manager of Cardiac Rehab at Bloomington Hospital, said she works a lot with patients, family members and the community to provide education so people are aware of the signs of heart disease.

“Over the last four months, we have been focusing on women’s heart disease because the newest statistic is that one in three women will die from it,” Carter said.

She advises young women to be aware of the symptoms such as chest discomfort, discomfort in arms, jaw and back or across shoulder blades, extreme fatigue, nausea or vomiting.

“You need to be your own health care advocate,” Carter said. “Nobody knows our bodies better than we do.”

Carter said students can raise heart disease awareness on campus by volunteering with the American Heart Association or participating in sorority and fraternity philanthropic events.

Alpha Phi sorority’s national philanthropy mission is to raise money for women’s cardiac care and research. The money is sent directly to the American Heart Association, said sophomore and neuroscience major P.J. Allen.

Allen is Alpha Phi’s current philanthropy chair and said her sorority holds two specific events during the academic school year: Cardiac Arrest and Alpha Phiesta. Cardiac Arrest involves “arresting” members of other greek houses to raise money for heart issues, and Alpha Phiesta is a new event that features an all-you-can eat late night Mexican dinner, Allen said.

“I wanted to take on a leadership role that was going to have a big impact,” Allen said. “Last fall we raised roughly $3,000 from Cardiac Arrest, and we’re making changes to our spring philanthropy, Alpha Phiesta, to continue raising more.”