Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke Recognizes Lubbock for Preventing and Controlling Heart Disease and Stroke

The Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke recently recognized the City of Lubbock for their promotion of heart health with a Silver Recognition Level for the 2010 Heart and Stroke City Assessment. The Council’s Texas Heart and Stroke Healthy City Recognition Program honors cities that advance recognized best practices for preventing and controlling heart disease and stroke.

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Garrison Institute on Aging Healthy Lubbock Coalition Coordinator Annette Boles, in collaboration with Johnny McLellan, City of Lubbock Parks and Recreation; Carla McGee, Covenant Health System; Anissa Johnson, University Medical Center; Tyra Carter, Ph.D., United Supermarkets, LLC; Christy Reeves and Ann Mesaros along with other volunteers created the Lubbock Heart and Stroke Prevention task force to monitor healthy practices for community members.

“Some Lubbock organizations and volunteers are focusing on preventive strategies for cardiovascular disease,” Boles said. “It’s imperative that organizations continue to collaborate to make this a priority. With the rising costs of health care, preventive strategies will make a positive difference for our community as a whole.”

Ten indicators are used to determine recognition as a Heart and Stroke Healthy City. Environmental indicators include offering physical activity areas, healthy eating options, defibrillators and CPR classes in the community. Policy indicators include smoke-free ordinances; an EMS system with priority response times to 911 calls for heart attacks or strokes and recognized guidelines for the prevention of, care and treatment for heart attacks and strokes in hospitals

Thomas E. Tenner Jr., Ph.D., chair of the Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke and TTUHSC associate dean for the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development, said this program brings focus to those cities that raise the bar in cardiovascular health.

“The recognized cities were found to be best prepared, based on an assessment of recognized best practices in policies and environmental changes,” Tenner said. “We encourage greater participation in existing programs and more development of new initiatives for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke in the years ahead.”

The mission of the Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke is to educate, inform and facilitate action among Texans to reduce the human and financial toll of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

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