Video: Astrazeneca Calls on All Americans to Join US AGAINST ATHERO to Fight the...

Video: Astrazeneca Calls on All Americans to Join US AGAINST ATHERO to Fight
the Nation's Number One Killer

2009 Artery Explorer Tour Kicks Off This Month, Urging People Across the
Country to Take Action Against Atherosclerosis

For immediate release: March 24, 2009

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
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
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: 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.

SOURCE AstraZeneca

Rhea Lewis, +1-302-885-4614, or Donna Huang, +1-302-885-6396, both for
AstraZeneca