Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (HDSP) Project

The Virginia Department of Health's HDSP Project is currently focused on the secondary prevention and control of heart disease and stroke through a policy and systems change approach statewide.  Its initiatives address the CDC priority areas of increasing control of high blood pressure and high cholesterol among adults and older adults; increasing knowledge of signs and symptoms for heart attack and stroke and the importance of calling 9-1-1; improving emergency response; improving the quality of heart disease and stroke care; and eliminating health disparities in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, geography, or socio-economic status.

To support these initiatives, the HDSP Project partners with a wide variety of organizations, including local health departments, hospitals, community health centers, public and private healthcare and health-related agencies, academic institutions, and faith-based and other community-based organizations.  In turn, the HDSP Project provides technical assistance, resources, and leadership in pursuit of the common interest to reduce and prevent morbidity and mortality of all Virginians from heart disease and stroke.

Selected Current HDSP Project Activities:

1. Maintaining the Blood Pressure Measurement Quality Assurance and Cholesterol Standardization Programs.
2. Providing resources, professional education, training and technical assistance on heart disease and stroke prevention issues.
3. Supporting community and professional stakeholders through the Virginia Heart Disease and Stroke Alliance and the Virginia Stroke Systems Task Force.
4. Tracking and evaluating the goals and objectives in the new state HDSP plan, entitled “Heart Disease and Stroke in Virginia: A Prevention and Control Plan 2008-2018.”
5. Updating of the state HDSP data report, “The Burden of Cardiovascular Disease in Virginia.”