Video: Astrazeneca Calls on All Americans to Join US AGAINST ATHERO to Fight the Nation's Number One Killer
March 24 2009 - 10:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
2009 Artery Explorer Tour Kicks Off This Month, Urging People
Across the Country to Take Action Against Atherosclerosis
WILMINGTON, Del., March 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AstraZeneca
(NYSE: AZN) today announced the launch of the 2009 US AGAINST
ATHERO tour featuring the Artery Explorer - a state-of-the-art,
multisensory, motion simulator that helps people visualize
atherosclerosis (athero), the progressive buildup of plaque inside
the arteries. The Artery Explorer kicks off its nationwide tour on
March 27 in Washington, D.C. and will travel to a total of 16
cities across the country. To view the Multimedia News Release, go
to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/uaa/37598/ US AGAINST ATHERO was
conceived three years ago by AstraZeneca after a nationwide Harris
Interactive survey confirmed the general public's low level of
awareness about athero and its risks. Working with partners
including the Association of Black Cardiologists, the National
Alliance on Hispanic Health and WomenHeart, AstraZeneca realized
that to get people to take steps to protect their arteries, they
needed to see what they could not feel. This fundamental idea led
to the creation of US AGAINST ATHERO, a national movement designed
to increase awareness of the leading cause of stroke and heart
disease, and help Americans fight athero with knowledge. "The US
AGAINST ATHERO movement has made great strides in mobilizing
Americans to make healthy choices. However, there is still a lot of
work to be done," said Dr. George Kondos, professor of medicine and
chief of clinical cardiology at the University of Illinois at
Chicago Medical Center. "Athero is a leading cause of heart
disease, which remains the number one killer in this country. With
the Artery Explorer tour, more people will get the opportunity to
really see what happens when you allow the build-up of plaque to
progress, and more importantly, what they can do to help prevent
it." Before turning 35, two out of three Americans will have some
degree of plaque build-up in their arteries.(1) However, athero
typically has no signs or symptoms until an artery becomes severely
narrowed or completely blocked. At this point, people may suffer a
heart attack, stroke, or other serious, potentially fatal, health
problem. Inside the Artery Explorer, participants travel through
the winding path of the human circulatory system as the arteries
become narrow and blocked with plaque. Along the way, people are
confronted by common risk factors for athero, such as LDL (bad)
cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking. The experience
culminates with a head-on collision with a blood clot, memorably
demonstrating how athero can lead to heart attack and stroke. "Now
is the time to join us in the fight against this deadly disease.
Take action by telling a friend to talk to their doctor about
athero, by taking a loved-one to an US AGAINST ATHERO event or by
visiting athero.com to register for free health information," said
Mike Tilton, Vice President of AstraZeneca's Cardiovascular therapy
area. "As a proud sponsor of the US AGAINST ATHERO movement,
AstraZeneca is determined to continue making a meaningful
difference in the lives of patients by providing actionable steps
to maintain healthy arteries." Since its 2007 launch, the US
AGAINST ATHERO movement has educated millions of Americans about
preventing and managing athero. For a full listing of cities in the
2009 tour, as well as more information about athero, visit
http://www.athero.com/. To receive additional health information
including questions to ask your doctor about athero, be sure to
click the link for the Athero IQ program. The Web site also
features a video of the journey through the arteries for those
unable to experience the Artery Explorer in person. About
Atherosclerosis (Athero) Athero is the progressive buildup of
plaque - made of fat, cholesterol, and other substances - in the
inner walls of the arteries.(1) Elevated cholesterol and other risk
factors can contribute to the disease, and for many, the disease
progresses silently, with no visible signs or symptoms.(2) Athero
is the leading cause of coronary heart disease (CHD), which affects
more than 1.2 million Americans and is the No. 1 killer in the
U.S.(3) Approximately 785,000 Americans will have their first heart
attack in 2009 and about every minute someone will die from a
coronary event.(2) Athero is also a leading cause of stroke, which
affects nearly 800,000 Americans each year.(2) Together, CHD and
stroke kill more Americans every year than all cancers combined.
About US AGAINST ATHERO US AGAINST ATHERO is a movement sponsored
by AstraZeneca to increase our nation's awareness of athero with
hopes that all Americans will take steps to take care of their
arteries. Through education and information, US AGAINST ATHERO
supports people in becoming advocates for their own health and for
the health of others. To join the US AGAINST ATHERO effort, please
visit http://www.athero.com/. About AstraZeneca AstraZeneca is
engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing
of meaningful prescription medicines and in the supply of health
care services. AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading
pharmaceutical companies with global health care sales of $31.6
billion and is a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular,
neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infectious disease
medicines. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $13.5 billion
dollar health care business. For more information about AstraZeneca
in the US or our AZ&Me Prescription Savings programs, please
visit: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/. (1) Strong et al. Prevalence
and extend of atherosclerosis in adolescents and young adults.
JAMA. 1999; 281 (8): 727-735. (2) "What are the Signs and Symptoms
of Atherosclerosis?" National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Available
at:www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Atherosclerosis/Atherosclerosis_Signs
.html. Accessed January 16, 2009. (3) Heart Disease and Stroke
Statistics: 2009 Update. American Heart Association. Accessed
January 15, 2009.
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/uaa/37598DATASOURCE: AstraZeneca
CONTACT: Rhea Lewis, +1-302-885-4614, or Donna Huang,
+1-302-885-6396, both for AstraZeneca Web Site:
http://www.athero.com/
Copyright