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New Aids May Cut
Local Heart Toll
A closer look at the heart disease situation in Rappahannock County is in order just now because next month will be Heart Disease Month. The latest government figures, detailing the 33 principal causes of death in each community, show that heart disease continues to rank first in the local area. Nationally, it represents the greatest threat to human life, more so than cancer, accidents, pneumonia and all other diseases combined. The report, released by the U. S. Public Health Service, reveals that fully 52.3*percent of all deaths in Rappahannock County are due to some form of head disease. This includes all ailment; of the cardiovascular system. Nationally, by way o: comparison, the disease account: for 54.8 percent of the total mortality. The average is 53.1 percent in the South Atlantic States and 53.8 percent in th< State of Virgin!#.
What is baffling to medica researchers is the fact that hear disease is considerably greater ii some sections of the country thai in others. Also, that it is mon prevalent among men than amonj women.
In a study of 50,000 men am women, conducted by th National Heart Institute, higl blood pressure, excess weigh^am cigarette smoking were listed a causative agents in th development of heart disease.
Smoking 10 or more cigarette i day, it found, increased the ris py 62 percent High blooi | pressure raised it 58 percent am ! obesity, 33 percent.
Among residents o i Rappahannock County, out of ‘total of 65 deaths from all cause; 34 were the result of hear ailments, according to the Publi .Health Service. This includes ai deaths of local people, whereve ! they may have occurred. 1 i excludes, however, local deaths o ! non-residents j And, for every one who die i from heart disease, there are som 22 others who are suffering fror it or who have a hear abnormality, the American Hear Association states.
Progress is being madt however, in the war on th disease. During the past year th number of heart deaths droppe 3.3 percent below the 1967 tota
82.0%