Heart disease and stroke are leading causes of death in Connecticut.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) partners with state-based and national organizations to decrease the burden of heart disease and stroke in the state.

DPH, supported by CDC funding opportunities, promotes the use of evidence-based strategies to prevent and manage high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  The following links provide more information:

• Connecticut Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Programs – information on the prevention and control of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
• CDC Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention – data, educational materials, and information on CDC heart disease and stroke prevention programs.
• The Community Guide - collection of evidence-based findings of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF).
• U.S. Preventive Services Task Force - an independent, volunteer panel of national experts in disease prevention and evidence-based medicine.
• Million Hearts® - national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes within 5 years. It focuses on implementing a small set of evidence-based priorities and targets that can improve cardiovascular health for all.
• Healthy People 2030 - a program of a nationwide health-promotion and disease-prevention goals set by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Statistical information on cardiovascular diseases in Connecticut are located on The Heart Disease and Stroke Surveillance Program webpage.

Other DPH programs work to prevent and control cardiovascular disease-related chronic diseases and risk factors. 

• Critical Congenital Heart Disease
• Connecticut Chronic Disease and Health Promotion Website
• Connecticut Diabetes Surveillance System
• Diabetes
• WISEWOMAN
• Obesity
• Tobacco
• HEARTSafe Program

The following lists national agencies and organizations that partner to reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases,

• American Heart Association AED Program Implementation Resources
• American Heart Association
• American Stroke Association
• Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • CDC Cholesterol Information
  • CDC Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
  • CDC Heart Disease Information
  • CDC High Blood Pressure
  • CDC Stroke Information
• National Stroke Association
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association
• The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD)

For more information, call the Community, Family Health, and Prevention Section: (860) 509-8251.  

This page was last updated on June 3, 2021.