Welcome to the American Heart Association’s Mid-Atlantic Affiliate (MAA) blog! We’re excited to share how we are working with our communities to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
DC Council Approves $2 Cigarette Tax Increase
On May 29, the DC Council unanimously approved its 2019 budget, including $1 million new dollars for tobacco cessation programs at the DC Department of Health and funding to implement Washington, DC’s Tobacco 21 law. This was made possible by a 10-2 Council vote on May 15, which raised the District’s cigarette tax by $2, to $4.50/pack. This legislation will make DC’s state cigarette tax the highest in the nation, and is projected to prevent 2,000 deaths, help over 5,000 adults quit, and reduce youth smoking by 21%. The legislation was introduced and championed by Councilmember Vincent Gray. AHA led [...]
5th Annual Triangle Jazz Brunch
The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s 5th Annual Triangle Power To End Stroke Jazz Brunch and Celebration was held on Saturday, June 2 at the Durham Center for Senior Life. The brunch was designed to narrow the knowledge gap about stroke. This year’s event also focused on health equity and social determinants of health with an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) film showing, healthy cooking with AHA Chef N’gai Dickerson from the Triad office, fitness demonstrations provided by Dance Xross Fitness, a Check.Change.Control. high blood pressure training session, healthy brunch by Dames Chicken & Waffle, and a jazz performance by Mo’Jazz [...]
Celebrating Pride Month in the Mid-Atlantic Affiliate
The American Heart Association is celebrating LGBTQ Pride month this June by sharing resources and participating in different events across the country. Teri Arnold, Marketing and Communications Director for the Hampton Roads, Virginia region and Communications Officer for AHA’s Hearts With Pride Employee Resource Group, recently told her heart attack survivor story at the Baltimore Go Red For Women Luncheon on the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month. Her story highlights her relationship with her now ex-wife and how heart disease became a burden too heavy to bear. Watch Teri Arnold’s heart disease story. In March, AHA released preliminary research [...]
Target:BP Data Submission Closes
About 103 million adults (nearly half) in the United States have high blood pressure. Research shows that high blood pressure is a contributing factor to major health conditions including heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other health concerns. Research also shows that 45.9% of those with high blood pressure are not controlled, that’s 36.7 million people! In 2015, the AHA and AMA partnered to launch Target: BP to improve blood pressure control and build a healthier nation. This national initiative aims to reduce the number of Americans who have heart attacks and strokes by urging medical practices, health [...]
Celebrate National CPR and AED Awareness Week
National CPR and AED Awareness Week – June 1– 7, 2018 – aims to raise awareness and increase the number of people who perform CPR in cardiac arrest emergencies. Each year, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States. About 90 percent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die. When a person has a cardiac arrest, survival depends on immediately receiving CPR from someone nearby. Only about 46 percent of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive the immediate help that they need before professional help arrives. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. Many Americans don’t perform CPR because they don’t know what to do [...]
Care4Carolina Prayer Breakfast Highlights Insurance Coverage Gap
John Coggin speaks at Prayer Breakfast On Wednesday, May 23, Care4Carolina hosted a prayer breakfast to raise awareness about the critical need to close the health insurance coverage gap in North Carolina. The event featured faith leaders, health advocates, people that have experienced the gap first hand, and lawmakers. Nearly 50 people attended the event. An insurance coverage gap occurs when a person makes too much money to qualify for Medicaid but makes too little money to afford private insurance offered through the federal Marketplace. The coalition held the prayer breakfast to shine a spotlight on the need [...]
Advance Auto Parts joins area companies to raise life-saving funds
The American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary health organization devoted to fighting cardiovascular disease and stroke, has enlisted the support of corporations in raising funds for the cause. When consumers visit Advance Auto Parts from May 16 – June 16, they will have the opportunity to give to the American Heart Association via the Life Is Why We Give™ fundraising campaign. Advance Auto Parts joins other area businesses like Kroger, Belk and more in helping the American Heart Association to fight heart disease and stroke – the number one and number five causes of death in America. In Advance [...]
Mid-Atlantic Heart and Stroke Summit – Call For 2019 Presenters
The Mid-Atlantic Heart and Stroke Quality Summit is a week-long event that includes educational opportunities in the areas of Heart Failure, Acute Coronary Syndrome, Cardiac Arrest, Atrial Fibrillation, and Stroke. In addition, the Summit provides day and evening events to network and celebrate achievements with peers from across the region, featuring an EMS Recognition Luncheon and a Quality & Systems Improvement Awards Dinner. Participants will leave with increased knowledge and resources to assist them in their quest to provide the very best guideline-based care for every heart and stroke patient. We are now accepting applications for presenters at the 2019 Summit to be [...]
