As arguably the public’s most accessible health care provider, pharmacists have the opportunity to both prevent cardiovascular disease and help manage cardiovascular disease in their patients. Many studies have demonstrated such role of pharmacists, such as a 2009 trial published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. This study found that a collaborative relationship between physicians and pharmacists helped patients better control their hypertension. It is crucial for student pharmacists to help educate the public regarding cardiovascular disease in order to provide the best care possible to their patients in the future. Operation Heart aims to educate students about heart disease and its effects while also raising awareness for cardiovascular disease in the community. This committee meets its goals by focusing on public awareness, community outreach, and patient-specific education. Student pharmacists who participate in Operation Heart help members of their community monitor cardiovascular disease risk factors, lead healthy lifestyles that include regular exercise, and better understand medications used to treat cardiovascular disease. Statistics from the 2013-2014 academic year are as follows:
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13,714 students participated
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1,067 faculty members participated
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786 pharmacists participated
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1,139 events conducted
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89,841 patients screened
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110,745 patients received health and wellness services
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6,322,893 patients educated through public relations initiatives
The statistics above were made possible through the support of APhA-ASP as a national organization. APhA-ASP encourages Operation Heart members to be active in their communities by recognizing one chapter from each of the eight APhA-ASP regions at Mid-Year Regional Meetings. These chapters, along with one national winner and two national runners-up, are recognized during the APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition and in Student Pharmacist magazine.