American Heart Month, 2000

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7271 of February 1, 2000

American Heart Month, 2000

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In the past half century, our Nation has made enormous
progress in the fight against heart disease. Through
careful research, scientists and doctors have
identified key factors--including smoking, high blood
pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, obesity,
and physical inactivity--that increase the risk of
heart disease. Working with dedication and
determination, they have developed new treatments and
procedures, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
defibrillation, clot-dissolving medicines, angioplasty,
and cardiac imaging devices, that have saved many
lives. As a result of these advances, the death rate
from coronary heart disease has fallen dramatically in
our Nation, with a nearly 60-percent reduction since
its peak in the mid-1960s.

While these developments are significant, heart disease
remains a serious health problem. Despite our knowledge
of the importance of exercise and a proper diet to
maintaining a healthy heart, studies indicate that both
physical inactivity and obesity are on the rise
throughout our country. Today, more than 58 million
Americans have one or more types of cardiovascular
disease (CVD), and each year nearly 1 million Americans
die from CVD--more than from the next 7 leading causes
of death combined. Furthermore, rates of coronary heart
disease deaths and the prevalence of some risk factors
remain disproportionately high in minority and low-
income populations.

As we stand at the dawn of this new century, it is
crucial that we build on the developments of the last
century to reduce the incidence of CVD, to address the
disparity among various segments of our population, and
to make further progress in the fight against heart
disease. To help meet this challenge, my Administration
has launched the Healthy People 2010 initiative, which
addresses health problems that can be prevented through
better care and increased public awareness. Among the
initiative's ambitious goals are improving the
prevention, detection, and treatment of heart disease
risk factors, earlier identification and quicker
response in the treatment of heart attacks, and
prevention of recurrent cardiovascular events, such as
second strokes.

The work of researchers at the National Human Genome
Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) also holds great promise for the fight against
heart disease. With the completion of their monumental
project of mapping and sequencing all human
chromosomes, we will soon have the capability to
identify at birth all those who are genetically
predisposed to heart disease and provide them with the
treatment and guidance they need through the years to
live longer, healthier lives.

The Federal Government will continue to support
research and public education to improve heart health
through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute,
also at NIH. And all Americans should remain grateful
that the American Heart Association, through its
research and education programs and its vital network
of dedicated volunteers, maintains a crucial role in
bringing about much-needed advances in the prevention
and treatment of heart disease.

In recognition of the importance of the ongoing fight
against cardiovascular disease, the Congress, by Joint
Resolution approved December 20, 1963 (77 Stat. 843; 36
U.S.C. 101b), has requested that the President issue an
annual proclamation designating February as ``American
Heart Month.''

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim February
2000 as American Heart Month. I invite the Governors of
the States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials
of other areas subject to the jurisdiction of the
United States, and the American people to join me in
reaffirming our commitment to combating cardiovascular
disease and strokes.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of February, in the year of our Lord two
thousand, and of the Independence of the United States
of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth.