Boston Scientific Launches Educational Initiative to Address Disparities in
Cardiovascular Care
'Close the Gap' brings together advocates from cardiologists to coaches
NATICK, Mass., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boston Scientific
Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced the public debut of an educational
initiative called "Close the Gap," which is aimed at addressing disparities in
cardiovascular care for the underserved patient populations of women, black
Americans and Latino Americans. The Company said it is collaborating on the
Close the Gap initiative with a number of organizations, including WomenHeart,
Black Coaches and Administrators, the Athlete's Heartbeat and the National
Coalition of Pastors' Spouses. Several National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) member schools are also supporting Close the Gap efforts.
The campaign is being led by a steering committee of leading physicians from
across the country and will have a strong focus on community education.
"Heart disease causes more deaths in Americans of both sexes and all
racial and ethnic groups than any other disease," said Close the Gap steering
committee member Charles Noble, M.D., a Columbus, Ohio-based
electrophysiologist and incoming Vice President of the Association of Black
Cardiologists. "Many different medical conditions or lifestyle habits can
affect one's chance of developing heart disease. Close the Gap seeks to help
Americans understand risk factors and know what actions can be taken to lower
their risk of developing heart disease."
Close the Gap will work to increase awareness of cardiovascular risk
factors through community programs involving faith-based organizations,
collegiate and professional athletic teams, and patient advocacy groups.
A key focus of the campaign will be to raise awareness of sudden cardiac
arrest as a leading cause of death among young athletes. Toward this end,
Close the Gap has established a close relationship with the Black Coaches and
Administrators organization, a national nonprofit whose members are mentors
and leaders in their communities. Statistics reveal that in the United
States, a young competitive athlete dies from sudden cardiac arrest every
three or four days. The average age of those who die is 17.5 years, ninety
percent of them are male, and more than half are black.
"As coaches, we are on the front lines of the battle against sudden
cardiac arrest in young athletes," said Floyd Keith, Executive Director of
Black Coaches and Administrators. "We have the power to help save lives, and
we're proud to join with Boston Scientific to spread the word about this
largely unrecognized crisis and work to make a difference."
Close the Gap plans to conduct outreach events during 2008 at several NCAA
basketball games, local public school districts and major women's conferences.
For more information on the Close the Gap campaign and updates on outreach
venues as they become available, please visit
http://www.heart-health-disparities.org.
Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of
medical devices whose products are used in a broad range of interventional
medical specialties. For more information, please visit:
http://www.bostonscientific.com.
Statistics cited in this release are taken from the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, the Heart Rhythm Society, the American College of
Cardiology and the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation.
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CONTACT: Annette Ruzicka
651-582-6161
Media Relations
Boston Scientific Corporation
SOURCE Boston Scientific Corporation
Annette Ruzicka, Media Relations of Boston Scientific Corporation,
+1-651-582-6161
