Mountain View, CA – Heart disease is one of the most common causes of death in the Bay Area, making prevention more important than ever.
Yet a recent survey by El Camino Health finds many people overlook common lifestyle factors that impact their heart health. The survey, conducted by Ipsos, reveals around three in 10 adults are unaware that alcohol (32 percent), smoking (27 percent), and lack of sleep (27 percent) are linked to heart disease.
"Up to 90 percent of cardiovascular diseases are preventable through healthy lifestyle behaviors, but that doesn’t only mean eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting regular exercise," said Frederick St. Goar, MD, medical director at the Norma Melchor Heart & Vascular Institute at El Camino Health. "While the evidence is clear that drinking alcohol in excess, smoking, and not getting enough sleep on a regular basis are directly connected to your risk of developing heart disease, not everyone has gotten the message. The good news is these are risk factors that can be changed or eliminated to improve your overall heart health."
The survey also found two-thirds of adults (68 percent) are unaware that social isolation is linked to heart disease, while only around half (53 percent) know mental wellness is a risk factor, highlighting the importance of prioritizing social and emotional well-being as well.
El Camino Health is working to help the community better understand how these preventable, lifestyle factors impact heart health with the 13th Annual Heart Forum on Saturday, April 27, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. PT.
The event, which is being held at El Camino Health’s Mountain View campus and available online, will feature interactive discussions with world-class physicians and heart experts, and is focused on "Empowering Hearts for Lifelong Wellness." Topics will include:
- Living well, lessons from the Blue Zone
- Movement and your longevity
- Treatment options for when more care is needed
- A heart healthy cooking demonstration and more
"A healthy heart is not only key to a longer life, but also one that is fulfilling," said Josh Schreckengost, executive director at the Norma Melchor Heart & Vascular Institute. "At El Camino Health, our goal is to provide and empower our community with the tools, resources, and knowledge to prevent heart disease and one way we do so is through our Annual Heart Forum."
El Camino Health is nationally recognized and locally trusted in the Bay Area as a leader in cardiovascular care. The Norma Melchor Heart & Vascular Institute was recently recognized by Healthgrades as the fourth best heart-focused program in California and among the top 100 in America. Additionally, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons recently awarded El Camino Health the highest possible rating for quality and patient outcomes in coronary artery bypass surgeries and mitral valve replacement surgeries.
Skip
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Ipsos on the KnowledgePanel® from February 2 to February 4, 2024, and surveyed 1,021 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample and has margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level, for results based on the entire sample of adults. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact: christopher.moessner@ipsos.com.
About El Camino Health
El Camino Health has served the communities of Santa Clara County for more than 60 years, with nationally recognized physicians and nurses at two not-for-profit acute care hospitals in Los Gatos and Mountain View, and primary care, multi-specialty care, and urgent care locations across the region. El Camino Health is dedicated to giving patients high-quality care utilizing the most advanced technology and research, delivering results first and respect always.
Aside from achieving outstanding patient outcomes, the hospitals have earned numerous awards for clinical excellence, including being named one of the World’s Best Hospitals 2024 by Newsweek, one of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report and becoming the San Francisco Bay Area’s first Magnet hospital, earning four consecutive designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center for nursing excellence.
Key service lines include cancer care, cardiovascular care, maternity care, mental health and addiction services, orthopedics, pulmonology, urology, and women’s health. Visit elcaminohealth.org to learn more.
# # #
