​by Sen. Kent Williams
American Heart Month is February and throughout the year, hospitals, schools, health departments by helping to raise awareness in their communities about heart disease. Heart disease can happen to anyone at any age. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking are the top three conditions that can lead to for heart disease. Half of all Americans suffer from at least one of the top three risk factors for heart disease. High rates of obesity and high blood pressure among younger people (ages 35-64) are putting them at risk for heart disease earlier in life.

• About 630,000 Americans die each year from heart disease. Heart disease is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. The most common form of heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack.
• Heart disease was the leading cause of death in South Carolina for 2017.
• In 2017, 10,412 South Carolinians died from heart disease.
• Heart disease accounted for 53,946 hospitalizations in South Carolina during 2017, with total hospitalization charges of more than $3.6 billion. Burden of Disease: Risk Factors for South Carolinians: Heart Disease Risk Factors South Carolina

​According to South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), people with uncontrolled hypertension are three times more likely to die of heart disease, smoking increases a person chances by 70% and having high blood cholesterol doubles a person’s chances of getting heart disease. Heart Disease can lead to stroke. Stroke is the country’s leading cause of long-term disability.

• According to 2017 national data, South Carolina had the sixth highest stroke death rate in the nation and is part of the “Stroke Belt,” a group of Southeastern states with high stroke death rates.
• Stroke was the fifth leading cause of death in South Carolina, resulting in 2,690 deaths during 2017.
• African Americans are 43% more likely to die from stroke than Caucasians in South Carolina.
• Stroke resulted in 16,298 hospitalizations in South Carolina in 2017. Of these, 37% were less than 65 years old.

​The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises us of four important ways we can control our heart health. Since smoking is the leading cause of preventable death, the CDC advises, “Don’t Smoke.” They urge us to manage high blood pressure and high cholesterol by taking the medication prescribed. Of course, a healthy balanced low sodium diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables is important too! Finally, get moving by making some type of exercise a part of your day.

​The economic cost of stoke in our state was more than $992 million in 2017. The quality of life cost of strokes is immeasurable. Let us strive to do our best to continue to take care of each other and ourselves.

​It is an honor to serve you in Columbia, and I am grateful for your continued support. As with all matters concerning state government, I want to hear your opinions and suggestions concerning these issues. Please contact me in my Columbia office located at 602 Gressette Office Building. You can reach me, or a member of my staff in Columbia at (803) 212-6008 or by fax at (803) 212-6011. My district office is located at 1305 North Main Street, Marion, SC 29571, the phone number is (843) 423-8237 and the fax number is (843) 431-6049. You may also email me at kentwilliams@scsenate.gov.

​As always, I also want to supply you with my business phone number so that you will able to reach me easily at any time. My business phone is (843) 423-3904. Please use this information to write, call or email me with your suggestions and concerns regarding issues before the Senate and in our community.