Heart attacks are top killer of Kentucky workers: study
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Frankfort, KY – Heart attacks are the No. 1 killer of workers in Kentucky, prompting the state to encourage employers to promote good health among employees.
From 2012 to 2014, on-the-job heart attacks killed 87 people in Kentucky – more than all other causes of work-related fatalities for those years combined, according to a study released April 8 by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet. All of the deaths in the study fell under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Program.
“Employers should do everything they can to raise awareness about cardiovascular health, and everyone needs to keep an eye on their blood pressure and cholesterol levels while paying close attention to diet and exercise,” KLC Secretary Larry Roberts said in a press release.
To help improve the health of all Kentucky residents, Gov. Steve Beshear (D) launched kyhealthnow last year. Among its goals, the initiative seeks to reduce cardiovascular deaths in Kentucky by 10 percent by 2019 through strategies such as smoking-cessation treatment and blood pressure awareness education.
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