Weekly Column: Promoting Heart Health

Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in Idaho and in the United States, making it more important than ever to encourage routine health screenings, raise awareness of blood pressure and cholesterol, and promote early recognition of heart disease warning signs. In acknowledgment of American Heart Month we just celebrated, I am again co-leading a Senate resolution, which the Senate unanimously passed on February 25, 2026, affirming the commitment of the United States to fighting cardiovascular diseases.

We all likely have a family member or friend impacted by heart disease, or maybe you are struggling with it yourself and working hard to reduce its risk. In the resolution, the Senate would once again emphasize that cardiovascular disease (referred to as CVD) affects men, women and children of every age and race in the United States. The resolution also includes a list of factors that increase the risk of CVD:

• high blood pressure;
• high blood cholesterol;
• poor diet;
• tobacco use and exposure to nicotine;
• physical inactivity;
• insufficient or poor-quality sleep;
• obesity; and
• diabetes mellitus.

However, “an individual can greatly reduce the risk of CVD through lifestyle modifications coupled with medical treatment when necessary,” and “greater awareness and early detection of risk factors for CVD can improve and save the lives of thousands of individuals in the United States each year.” Health-focused habits to prevent or lower the risk of heart disease include maintaining a healthy diet. Being aware of your hereditary predisposition to heart disease and knowing your cholesterol levels and blood pressure also help when making lifestyle choices.

In the resolution, we reaffirm the government’s commitment to fighting cardiovascular disease by supporting research, improving access to affordable, quality care to reduce long-term disability and mortality, and recognizing and championing efforts to address the long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular health and mortality rates.

The Working Families Tax Cuts are helping to make health care more accessible and affordable. The law makes commonsense reforms to Medicaid to reduce fraud and abuse so that more support is available to those who really need it. It also helps people save more for health care expenses, expands access to a variety of health services and makes a transformational investment in rural health care systems. These represent an important step in the effort to make quality care more attainable.

We can all make changes to our lifestyle that will decrease our risk of heart disease, as well as the risk to our family members. Living a healthy life encourages those around you, including young children, to do the same. They see the results of your investment in your health. You can learn more about heart disease and resources to reduce risk at https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/health-wellness/diseases-conditions/heart-disease.

(Senator Crapo receiving an award in 2015 from the American Heart Association)

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