APhA received the call from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), CMS, and CDC to partner with them on the Million Hearts Initiative, a program launched today to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next 5 years. In turn, I’m calling on pharmacists to support this initiative and save people’s lives.

As part of the Million Hearts Initiative, pharmacists can help monitor blood pressure and cholesterol medication refill patterns, as well as alert physicians and patients when patients stop following their prescription regimen. Cardiovascular disease causes one of every three deaths. We need to teach people about the ABCS (aspirin for people at high risk, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, smoking cessation).

Pharmacists can play an important role in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown the value of pharmacists in improving cardiovascular outcomes. In 2009, a trial published in the Archives of Internal Medicine demonstrated that pharmacists collaborating on a health care team with physicians and nurses resulted in better blood pressure control. And an article published yesterday in the Archives of Internal Medicine highlights the “Impact of Pharmacist Care in the Management of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors” in a very positive way.

Here at APhA, the Academy of Student Pharmacists takes the lead on a national patient care program called Operation Heart in which students go out into the community to address and prevent cardiovascular disease. Our APhA Foundation in June started a 1-year demonstration project with Wayne State University in Detroit involving adherence to medication therapy for hypertension, Project ImPACT: Hypertension. More than 90 patients are enrolled and receiving care from pharmacists.

We are pleased to partner with the federal government and numerous other stakeholder and fellow health professionals on the Million Hearts Initiative, and excited about mobilizing pharmacists to support this important 5-year program.

It will be important for us to capture information on your efforts. So, for now, please let us know about your practice. What current or new initiatives do you have that would support the overall goal of improved heart health? Meanwhile, we’ll be working on other ways to promote all the good things that pharmacists do to save lives every day.