Early identification and treatment of women's cardiovascular risk factors prevents cardiovascular disease, saves lives, and protects future generations: Policy recommendations and take action plan utilizing policy levers.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) including heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and uncontrolled hypertension are leading causes of death among women of all ages. Despite efforts to increase awareness about CVD among women, over the past decade there has been stagnation in the reduction of CVD in women, and CVD among younger women and women of color has in fact increased. We recommend taking action using policy levers to address CVD in women including: (1) Promoting periodic screening for risk factors including blood pressure, lipids/cholesterol, diabetes for all women starting at 18-21 years, with calculated atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) risk score use among women 40 years or older.

One In Five Fewer Heart Attacks: Impact, Savings, And Sustainability In San Diego County Collaborative.

Before 2011 rates of hospitalization for heart attacks were about the same in San Diego County as they were in the rest of California. In 2011 a multistakeholder population health collaborative consisting of partners at the federal, state, and local levels launched Be There San Diego. The collaborative's goal was to reduce cardiovascular events through the spread of best practices aimed at improving control of hypertension, lipid levels, and blood sugar and through patient and medical community activation.

As good as it gets? Managing risks of cardiovascular disease in California's top-performing physician organizations.

Background: The California Right Care Initiative (RCI) accelerates the adoption of evidence-based guidelines and improved care management practices for conditions for which the gap between science and practice is significant, resulting in preventable disability and death.

Methods: Medical directors and quality improvement leaders from 11 of the 12 physician organizations that met the 2010 national 90th percentile performance benchmarks for control of hyperlipidemia and glycated hemoglobin in 2011 were interviewed in 2012. Interviews, as well as surveys, assessed performance reporting and feedback to individual physicians; medication management protocols; team-based care management; primary care team huddles; coordination of care between primary care clinicians and specialists; implementation of shared medical appointments; and telephone visits for high-risk patients.