Enterprise information security architecture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Enterprise information security architecture (EISA) is a part of enterprise architecture focusing on information security throughout the enterprise.
Contents [hide]
1 Overview
2 Enterprise information security architecture topics
2.1 Positioning
2.2 Goals
2.3 Methodology
3 High-level security architecture framework
4 Relationship to other IT disciplines
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
[edit]Overview
Enterprise information security architecture (EISA) is the practice of applying a comprehensive and rigorous method for describing a current and/or future structure and behavior for an organization's security processes, information security systems, personnel and organizational sub-units, so that they align with the organization's core goals and strategic direction. Although often associated strictly with information security technology, it relates more broadly to the security practice of business optimization in that it addresses business security architecture, performance management and security process architecture as well.
Enterprise information security architecture is becoming a common practice within the financial institutions around the globe. The primary purpose of creating an enterprise information security architecture is to ensure that business strategy and IT security are aligned. As such, enterprise information security architecture allows traceability from the business strategy down to the underlying technology.
[edit]Enterprise information security architecture topics
[edit]Positioning
Enterprise information security architecture was first formally positioned by Gartner in their whitepaper called “Incorporating Security into the Enterprise Architecture Process”. This was published on 24 January 2006. Since this publication, security architecture has moved from being a silo based architecture to an enterprise focused solution that incorporates business, information and technology. The picture below represents a one-dimensional view of enterprise architecture as a service-oriented architecture.
It also reflects the new addition to the enterprise architecture family called “Security”. Business architecture, information architecture and technology architecture use to be called BIT for short. Now with security as part of the architecture family it has become BITS.
Security architectural change imperatives now include things like
Business roadmaps
Legislative and legal requirements
Technology roadmaps
Best practices
Industry trends
Visionaries
[edit]Goals
Provide structure, coherence and cohesiveness.
Must enable business-to-security alignment.
Defined top-down beginning with business strategy.
Ensure that all models and implementations can be traced back to the business strategy, specific business requirements and key principles.
Provide abstraction so that complicating factors, such as geography and technology religion, can be removed and reinstated at different levels of detail only when required.
Establish a common "language" for information security within the organization
[edit]Methodology
The practice of enterprise information security architecture involves developing an architecture security framework to describe a series of "current", "intermediate" and "target" reference architectures and applying them to align programs of change. These frameworks detail the organizations, roles, entities and relationships that exist or should exist to perform a set of business processes. This framework will provide a rigorous taxonomy and ontology that clearly identifies what processes a business performs and detailed information about how those processes are executed and secured. The end product is a set of artifacts that describe in varying degrees of detail exactly what and how a business operates and what security controls are required. These artifacts are often graphical.
Given these descriptions, whose levels of detail will vary according to affordability and other practical considerations, decision makers are provided the means to make informed decisions about where to invest resources, where to realign organizational goals and processes, and what policies and procedures will support core missions or business functions.
A strong enterprise information security architecture process helps to answer basic questions like:
Is the current architecture supporting and adding value to the security of the organization?
How might a security architecture be modified so that it adds more value to the organization?
Based on what we know about what the organization wants to accomplish in the future, will the current security architecture support or hinder that?
Implementing enterprise information security architecture generally starts with documenting the organization's strategy and other necessary details such as where and how it operates. The process then cascades down to documenting discrete core competencies, business processes, and how the organization interacts with itself and with external parties such as customers, suppliers, and government entities.
Having documented the organization's strategy and structure, the architecture process then flows down into the discrete information technology components such as:
Organization charts, activities, and process flows of how the IT Organization operates
Organization cycles, periods and timing
Suppliers of technology hardware, software, and services
Applications and software inventories and diagrams
Interfaces between applications - that is: events, messages and data flows
Intranet, Extranet, Internet, eCommerce, EDI links with parties within and outside of the organization
Data classifications, Databases and supporting data models
Hardware, platforms, hosting: servers, network components and security devices and where they are kept
Local and wide area networks, Internet connectivity diagrams
Wherever possible, all of the above should be related explicitly to the organization's strategy, goals, and operations. The enterprise information security architecture will document the current state of the technical security components listed above, as well as an ideal-world desired future state (Reference Architecture) and finally a "Target" future state which is the result of engineering tradeoffs and compromises vs. the ideal. Essentially the result is a nested and interrelated set of models, usually managed and maintained with specialised software available on the market.
Such exhaustive mapping of IT dependencies has notable overlaps with both metadata in the general IT sense, and with the ITIL concept of the Configuration Management Database. Maintaining the accuracy of such data can be a significant challenge.
Along with the models and diagrams goes a set of best practices aimed at securing adaptability, scalability, manageability etc. These systems engineering best practices are not unique to enterprise information security architecture but are essential to its success nonetheless. They involve such things as componentization, asynchronous communication between major components, standardization of key identifiers and so on.
Successful application of enterprise information security architecture requires appropriate positioning in the organization. The analogy of city-planning is often invoked in this connection, and is instructive.
An intermediate outcome of an architecture process is a comprehensive inventory of business security strategy, business security processes, organizational charts, technical security inventories, system and interface diagrams, and network topologies, and the explicit relationships between them. The inventories and diagrams are merely tools that support decision making. But this is not sufficient. It must be a living process.
The organization must design and implement a process that ensures continual movement from the current state to the future state. The future state will generally be a combination of one or more
Closing gaps that are present between the current organization strategy and the ability of the IT security dimensions to support it
Closing gaps that are present between the desired future organization strategy and the ability of the security dimensions to support it
Necessary upgrades and replacements that must be made to the IT security architecture based on supplier viability, age and performance of hardware and software, capacity issues, known or anticipated regulatory requirements, and other issues not driven explicitly by the organization's functional management.
On a regular basis, the current state and future state are redefined to account for evolution of the architecture, changes in organizational strategy, and purely external factors such as changes in technology and customer/vendor/government requirements.
[edit]High-level security architecture framework
Enterprise information security architecture frameworks is only a subset of enterprise architecture frameworks. If we had to simplify the conceptual abstraction of enterprise information security architecture within a generic framework, the picture on the right would be acceptable as a high-level conceptual security architecture framework.
Other open enterprise architecture frameworks are:
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Architecture Framework (DoDAF)
Extended Enterprise Architecture Framework (E2AF) from the Institute For Enterprise Architecture Developments.[1]
Federal Enterprise Architecture of the United States Government (FEA)
Capgemini's Integrated Architecture Framework[2]
The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Architecture Framework (MODAF)
NIH Enterprise Architecture Framework[3]
Open Security Architecture[4]
Information Assurance Enterprise Architectural Framework (IAEAF)
SABSA framework and methodology
Service-Oriented Modeling Framework (SOMF)
The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF)
Zachman Framework
[edit]Relationship to other IT disciplines
Enterprise information security architecture is a key component of the information security technology governance process at any organization of significant size. More and more companies[citation needed] are implementing a formal enterprise security architecture process to support the governance and management of IT.
However, as noted in the opening paragraph of this article it ideally relates more broadly to the practice of business optimization in that it addresses business security architecture, performance management and process security architecture as well. Enterprise Information Security Architecture is also related to IT security portfolio management and metadata in the enterprise IT sense.
[edit]See also
Enterprise architecture
Enterprise architecture planning
Information security
Information assurance
[edit]References
^ Extended Enterprise Architecture Framework.
^ Capgemini's Integrated Architecture Framework
^ NIH Enterprise Architecture Framework
^ Open Security Architecture
[edit]Further reading
Carbone, J. A. (2004). IT architecture toolkit. Enterprise computing series. Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice Hall PTR.
Cook, M. A. (1996). Building enterprise information architectures : reengineering information systems. Hewlett-Packard professional books. Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice Hall.
Fowler, M. (2003). Patterns of enterprise application architecture. The Addison-Wesley signature series. Boston, Addison-Wesley.
Togaf Guide to Security Architecture "http://www.opengroup.org/pubs/catalog/w055.htm"
Groot, R., M. Smits and H. Kuipers (2005). "A Method to Redesign the IS Portfolios in Large Organisations", Proceedings of the 38th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS'05). Track 8, p. 223a. IEEE.
Steven Spewak and S. C. Hill (1993). Enterprise architecture planning : developing a blueprint for data, applications, and technology. Boston, QED Pub. Group.
[edit]External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Enterprise Information Security Architecture
Open Security Architecture- Controls and patterns to secure IT systems
Categories: Enterprise architecture | Computer security
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Tuesday, February 15, 2011
New Managed Cyber Security Services
AT&T Announces New Managed Security Services and Global ISO27001 Certification
AT&T extends security portfolio with addition of web application firewall service, network-based firewall and secure e-mail gateway services features designed to help customers control network security and meet compliance requirements
Dallas, Texas, February 14, 2011
ShareThis
At the RSA Conference in San Francisco, AT&T* today announced it is expanding its managed security services portfolio with AT&T Web Application Firewall(sm) Service, new AT&T Network-Based Firewall Service policy controls and new capabilities to AT&T Secure E-Mail Gateway security as-a-service. The company also announced it has received ISO 27001 certification, a globally recognized confirmation of trustworthy and effective information security practices.
These enhancements are designed to strengthen the AT&T suite of Security and Consulting services, helping customers protect critical infrastructure, detect attacks, assess vulnerabilities, and respond to threats, both on-premises and in the cloud.
AT&T Web Application Firewall Service is a fully managed security service that combines Web Application Firewall technology with expert management and 24x7x365 security monitoring to help protect Web applications and their underlying systems. As business operations continue to proliferate the cloud with billions of network enabled devices and machines, web applications have become prime targets for attacks from hackers and cybercriminals. Application-layer security solutions from AT&T provide business customers with application-layer security measures to help protect critical Web applications such as e-Commerce. AT&T Web Application Firewall Service helps customers protect their Web applications without interrupting legitimate traffic. This new service also facilitates customers in complying with Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard 6.6 requirements by aiding automated web application scanning and detecting vulnerabilities in web-facing application code.
AT&T Network-Based Firewall Service has been enhanced with new self-servicing capabilities for customers including the ability to directly manage aspects of their security policies in real-time through a convenient online portal as well as the ability to download policies into a convenient PDF format for use with compliance audits. These new features are designed to increase productivity and effectiveness by providing customer administrators with more direct control over security requirements and resources.
AT&T Secure E-Mail Gateway service has been enhanced with new Data Leakage Prevention (DLP) capabilities, off-site archiving, and encryption features to help customers comply with data privacy and retention regulations, meet legal discovery requirements, and implement data loss prevention measures. With AT&T Secure E-mail Gateway, customers are better protected from internal and external e-mail threats such as commercial spam, malicious attachments, direct e-mail server connections from spammers and botnet-controlled endpoints, and e-mail embedded URL-based attacks.
AT&T also announced today it has received ISO 27001 certification from UKICM, a United Kingdom independent testing and assessment services firm. ISO 27001 Certification published by the International Organization for Standardization is the leading international standard for measuring information security management systems. ISO Certification provides AT&T enterprise customers with the independent assurance that services from AT&T pass the rigors of an ISO 27001 audit.
“Corporations need convenient, flexible, real-time solutions to meet today’s demanding compliance and productivity requirements,” said Ed Amoroso, Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer, AT&T, Inc. “We are continuing in our commitment to provide our customers with the highest level of security and data integrity available today by expanding our suite of managed security services.”
AT&T has long been a pioneer in the development of cybersecurity capabilities, delivering some of today's most powerful weapons to combat cybersecurity attacks. Customers of AT&T, including global, national, midsize and regional businesses, rely on AT&T for reliable integrated services worldwide to maintain network integrity and business continuity.
More information on AT&T’s managed security offerings can be found at www.att.com/security.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
(1) Gartner "Magic Quadrant for MSSPs, North America," by Kelly Kavanagh and John Pescatore, November, 2010
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE® magazine.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT. Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.
© 2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.
AT&T extends security portfolio with addition of web application firewall service, network-based firewall and secure e-mail gateway services features designed to help customers control network security and meet compliance requirements
Dallas, Texas, February 14, 2011
ShareThis
At the RSA Conference in San Francisco, AT&T* today announced it is expanding its managed security services portfolio with AT&T Web Application Firewall(sm) Service, new AT&T Network-Based Firewall Service policy controls and new capabilities to AT&T Secure E-Mail Gateway security as-a-service. The company also announced it has received ISO 27001 certification, a globally recognized confirmation of trustworthy and effective information security practices.
These enhancements are designed to strengthen the AT&T suite of Security and Consulting services, helping customers protect critical infrastructure, detect attacks, assess vulnerabilities, and respond to threats, both on-premises and in the cloud.
AT&T Web Application Firewall Service is a fully managed security service that combines Web Application Firewall technology with expert management and 24x7x365 security monitoring to help protect Web applications and their underlying systems. As business operations continue to proliferate the cloud with billions of network enabled devices and machines, web applications have become prime targets for attacks from hackers and cybercriminals. Application-layer security solutions from AT&T provide business customers with application-layer security measures to help protect critical Web applications such as e-Commerce. AT&T Web Application Firewall Service helps customers protect their Web applications without interrupting legitimate traffic. This new service also facilitates customers in complying with Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard 6.6 requirements by aiding automated web application scanning and detecting vulnerabilities in web-facing application code.
AT&T Network-Based Firewall Service has been enhanced with new self-servicing capabilities for customers including the ability to directly manage aspects of their security policies in real-time through a convenient online portal as well as the ability to download policies into a convenient PDF format for use with compliance audits. These new features are designed to increase productivity and effectiveness by providing customer administrators with more direct control over security requirements and resources.
AT&T Secure E-Mail Gateway service has been enhanced with new Data Leakage Prevention (DLP) capabilities, off-site archiving, and encryption features to help customers comply with data privacy and retention regulations, meet legal discovery requirements, and implement data loss prevention measures. With AT&T Secure E-mail Gateway, customers are better protected from internal and external e-mail threats such as commercial spam, malicious attachments, direct e-mail server connections from spammers and botnet-controlled endpoints, and e-mail embedded URL-based attacks.
AT&T also announced today it has received ISO 27001 certification from UKICM, a United Kingdom independent testing and assessment services firm. ISO 27001 Certification published by the International Organization for Standardization is the leading international standard for measuring information security management systems. ISO Certification provides AT&T enterprise customers with the independent assurance that services from AT&T pass the rigors of an ISO 27001 audit.
“Corporations need convenient, flexible, real-time solutions to meet today’s demanding compliance and productivity requirements,” said Ed Amoroso, Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer, AT&T, Inc. “We are continuing in our commitment to provide our customers with the highest level of security and data integrity available today by expanding our suite of managed security services.”
AT&T has long been a pioneer in the development of cybersecurity capabilities, delivering some of today's most powerful weapons to combat cybersecurity attacks. Customers of AT&T, including global, national, midsize and regional businesses, rely on AT&T for reliable integrated services worldwide to maintain network integrity and business continuity.
More information on AT&T’s managed security offerings can be found at www.att.com/security.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
(1) Gartner "Magic Quadrant for MSSPs, North America," by Kelly Kavanagh and John Pescatore, November, 2010
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE® magazine.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT. Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.
© 2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.
The Booming Security Business- Challenges and Opportunities
Our Passion is 2 Reach Our Individual and Collective Potential 4 Excellence & Success-Always
Sustainable Security, Good Governance and Progressive Prosperity!
JULY 25, 2005
NEWS: ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY
The Booming Security Business
Anti-terrorism consultants are cleaning up as companies everywhere boost spending
In the aftermath of the deadly July 7 London transit bombings, business leaders have a new nightmare to worry about: Islamic radicals linked to al Qaeda are increasingly hitting "soft targets" with high-powered explosives carried by local operatives.
This new phase in the terror war is shining a spotlight on a burgeoning worldwide business: the homeland security experts. Armed with a background in law enforcement, intelligence, or technology, a growing crop of security consultants has sprung up to help major corporations increase their defenses.
Hawking services that range from providing total security audits to planning escape routes for workers in case of attack, the consultant corps is raking in millions in fees as companies gird for the worst. Estimates now put private spending for all forms of security at $50 billion annually, two or three times the pre-September 11 tally, with a sizable chunk going for consulting services.
A March, 2005, Conference Board report found that more than half of companies surveyed had boosted their security spending, with the biggest hikes among large outfits in such high-risk industries as utilities and financial services, especially in the Northeast. Last year, for example, Goldman, Sachs & Co. spent $9 million installing dozens of metal posts and two 200-foot-long Italian granite planters to protect just one office building in Jersey City after a consultant recommended hardening against car bombs.
As the threats have evolved, so too have the consultants. After September 11, the field grew quickly as ex-cops printed up business cards and converted spare bedrooms into international headquarters. But nearly four years later the consulting ranks have seen a shakeout. The industry matured as companies began to demand real-world solutions.
"The more sophisticated clients are now looking for someone to give them advice and then stay around for implementation, instead of just showing up with a big bag of toys to sell," says Richard A. Clarke, former top White House counterterrorism adviser and founder of Washington-based Good Harbor Consulting LLC.
Not surprisingly, as the government gears up for a generational war against global terror, Washington has become a fertile source of experts-for-hire. Marquee names from the Bush Cabinet are segueing into consulting, with former Attorney General John Ashcroft and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge each planning his own firm. Indeed, the three-year-old Department of Homeland Security has spun off at least three top consultants: former Deputy James Loy and former Under Secretaries Asa Hutchison, who headed border and transportation security, and Frank Libutti, chief of information analysis and infrastructure protection. Following the big names are legions of lower-ranking officials who have spent years reading top-secret cables.
COMPLACENCY
The consulting game, though, extends well beyond the Beltway. Giuliani Partners LLC, founded by former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani in January, 2002, has a hand in everything from straightforward security audits to a joint venture to provide biochemical cleanup. In one typical contract, Entergy Nuclear Northeast (ETR ) hired Giuliani's Security & Safety division to review and develop emergency plans for its five nuclear power plants.
"There was some complacency starting to set in [among U.S. companies], but London brings to the forefront that we are still vulnerable," says Pasquale J. D'Amuro, a former top FBI official heading up Giuliani's security division. And New York-based Kroll Inc., which for 30 years has been conducting investigations for big companies, has lately made a lucrative business providing advice on avoiding kidnapping, handling ransom demands, and travel safety.
Traditional military hardware suppliers, too, are piling in. New York-based L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. (LLL ), for instance, is creating sophisticated video surveillance systems for large ports, and is designing sensors to detect chemical or nuclear radiation for use in shipping containers. Last year, the Transportation Security Administration hired L-3 to develop an explosive detection system for Amtrak trains. "We have to focus on large hub areas where you can have casualties that make September 11 look small," warns L-3 CEO Frank C. Lanza.
Government has been a crucial driver of the security business. Consultants got a lift when Congress passed the 2002 Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which required insurers to offer terrorism coverage, forcing them to figure out risks for specific incidents. But worried executives are creating a growing market as well.
Midland (Mich.)-based Dow Chemical Co. (DOW ), for instance, the nation's largest chemical business, won't supply specifics but reports that it has spent tens of millions over the past few years securing plants and seeking better monitoring of workers and visitors. It has switched from quaint picture ID cards to electronic badges linked to biometric detectors; old-style burglar alarms have given way to infrared monitors and high-definition digital cameras.
"We're better now," says Timothy J. Scott, Dow's chief security officer. "Before, we focused mostly on what was going out of the gate; now the real focus is on who's coming in the gate."
No industry is more concerned than banking and financial services. Several major New York banks have hired New York-based Michael Stapleton Associates Ltd. to supply trained staff and equipment to X-ray and monitor every package that enters headquarters. That's just a start. One bank reluctant to be identified publicly has hired Stapleton and a slew of other consultants to find the most cost-effective ways of protecting against potential problems.
Worried about evacuating workers from Manhattan should bridges and tunnels be cut off in an attack, Stapleton advised the bank to keep a rescue boat on permanent call. It also set up a system to sterilize all hand-written letters addressed to the bank's top executives as a check against anthrax. The bank has turned to other consultants for advice on everything from how to set up shower stalls in a makeshift decontamination center for employees, to figuring out an inexpensive system to scan for radiation.
HIDING SENSITIVE DATA
One bit of counsel consultants say applies to just about any business: Don't post sensitive information on the Internet. Says Intellibridge Corp. founder David J. Rothkopf: "We could show a company that one of their fuel trucks was scheduled to deliver to a particular site at a particular time, or show them on the Internet blueprints of their most sensitive areas." Utilities, transportation companies, and hazardous materials manufacturers quickly hid such information after audits.
Consultants have led clients down blind alleys, too. Just after September 11 advisers seized on technological solutions they didn't fully understand. Take facial recognition, once thought to be a quick fix for airport security, sports stadiums, and the like.
The idea: Software containing the digitized photos of faces of known terrorists would monitor cameras placed in public areas to pick out the bad guys. But the mug shots scanned by the software lacked detail. "They got hundreds of false positives, and some lawsuits as well, and this impaired the whole implementation and reputation for the technology," says Roy N. Bordes, president and CEO of the Bordes Group in Orlando, which advises companies on security technology.
As the business evolves, there should be fewer missteps. But money will likely keep flowing from corporations willing to pay the price for a little peace of mind.
By Paul Magnusson and Spencer E. Ante, with Michael Arndt in Chicago, Stan Crock in Washington, and Emily Thornton in New York
Sustainable Security, Good Governance and Progressive Prosperity!
JULY 25, 2005
NEWS: ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY
The Booming Security Business
Anti-terrorism consultants are cleaning up as companies everywhere boost spending
In the aftermath of the deadly July 7 London transit bombings, business leaders have a new nightmare to worry about: Islamic radicals linked to al Qaeda are increasingly hitting "soft targets" with high-powered explosives carried by local operatives.
This new phase in the terror war is shining a spotlight on a burgeoning worldwide business: the homeland security experts. Armed with a background in law enforcement, intelligence, or technology, a growing crop of security consultants has sprung up to help major corporations increase their defenses.
Hawking services that range from providing total security audits to planning escape routes for workers in case of attack, the consultant corps is raking in millions in fees as companies gird for the worst. Estimates now put private spending for all forms of security at $50 billion annually, two or three times the pre-September 11 tally, with a sizable chunk going for consulting services.
A March, 2005, Conference Board report found that more than half of companies surveyed had boosted their security spending, with the biggest hikes among large outfits in such high-risk industries as utilities and financial services, especially in the Northeast. Last year, for example, Goldman, Sachs & Co. spent $9 million installing dozens of metal posts and two 200-foot-long Italian granite planters to protect just one office building in Jersey City after a consultant recommended hardening against car bombs.
As the threats have evolved, so too have the consultants. After September 11, the field grew quickly as ex-cops printed up business cards and converted spare bedrooms into international headquarters. But nearly four years later the consulting ranks have seen a shakeout. The industry matured as companies began to demand real-world solutions.
"The more sophisticated clients are now looking for someone to give them advice and then stay around for implementation, instead of just showing up with a big bag of toys to sell," says Richard A. Clarke, former top White House counterterrorism adviser and founder of Washington-based Good Harbor Consulting LLC.
Not surprisingly, as the government gears up for a generational war against global terror, Washington has become a fertile source of experts-for-hire. Marquee names from the Bush Cabinet are segueing into consulting, with former Attorney General John Ashcroft and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge each planning his own firm. Indeed, the three-year-old Department of Homeland Security has spun off at least three top consultants: former Deputy James Loy and former Under Secretaries Asa Hutchison, who headed border and transportation security, and Frank Libutti, chief of information analysis and infrastructure protection. Following the big names are legions of lower-ranking officials who have spent years reading top-secret cables.
COMPLACENCY
The consulting game, though, extends well beyond the Beltway. Giuliani Partners LLC, founded by former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani in January, 2002, has a hand in everything from straightforward security audits to a joint venture to provide biochemical cleanup. In one typical contract, Entergy Nuclear Northeast (ETR ) hired Giuliani's Security & Safety division to review and develop emergency plans for its five nuclear power plants.
"There was some complacency starting to set in [among U.S. companies], but London brings to the forefront that we are still vulnerable," says Pasquale J. D'Amuro, a former top FBI official heading up Giuliani's security division. And New York-based Kroll Inc., which for 30 years has been conducting investigations for big companies, has lately made a lucrative business providing advice on avoiding kidnapping, handling ransom demands, and travel safety.
Traditional military hardware suppliers, too, are piling in. New York-based L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. (LLL ), for instance, is creating sophisticated video surveillance systems for large ports, and is designing sensors to detect chemical or nuclear radiation for use in shipping containers. Last year, the Transportation Security Administration hired L-3 to develop an explosive detection system for Amtrak trains. "We have to focus on large hub areas where you can have casualties that make September 11 look small," warns L-3 CEO Frank C. Lanza.
Government has been a crucial driver of the security business. Consultants got a lift when Congress passed the 2002 Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which required insurers to offer terrorism coverage, forcing them to figure out risks for specific incidents. But worried executives are creating a growing market as well.
Midland (Mich.)-based Dow Chemical Co. (DOW ), for instance, the nation's largest chemical business, won't supply specifics but reports that it has spent tens of millions over the past few years securing plants and seeking better monitoring of workers and visitors. It has switched from quaint picture ID cards to electronic badges linked to biometric detectors; old-style burglar alarms have given way to infrared monitors and high-definition digital cameras.
"We're better now," says Timothy J. Scott, Dow's chief security officer. "Before, we focused mostly on what was going out of the gate; now the real focus is on who's coming in the gate."
No industry is more concerned than banking and financial services. Several major New York banks have hired New York-based Michael Stapleton Associates Ltd. to supply trained staff and equipment to X-ray and monitor every package that enters headquarters. That's just a start. One bank reluctant to be identified publicly has hired Stapleton and a slew of other consultants to find the most cost-effective ways of protecting against potential problems.
Worried about evacuating workers from Manhattan should bridges and tunnels be cut off in an attack, Stapleton advised the bank to keep a rescue boat on permanent call. It also set up a system to sterilize all hand-written letters addressed to the bank's top executives as a check against anthrax. The bank has turned to other consultants for advice on everything from how to set up shower stalls in a makeshift decontamination center for employees, to figuring out an inexpensive system to scan for radiation.
HIDING SENSITIVE DATA
One bit of counsel consultants say applies to just about any business: Don't post sensitive information on the Internet. Says Intellibridge Corp. founder David J. Rothkopf: "We could show a company that one of their fuel trucks was scheduled to deliver to a particular site at a particular time, or show them on the Internet blueprints of their most sensitive areas." Utilities, transportation companies, and hazardous materials manufacturers quickly hid such information after audits.
Consultants have led clients down blind alleys, too. Just after September 11 advisers seized on technological solutions they didn't fully understand. Take facial recognition, once thought to be a quick fix for airport security, sports stadiums, and the like.
The idea: Software containing the digitized photos of faces of known terrorists would monitor cameras placed in public areas to pick out the bad guys. But the mug shots scanned by the software lacked detail. "They got hundreds of false positives, and some lawsuits as well, and this impaired the whole implementation and reputation for the technology," says Roy N. Bordes, president and CEO of the Bordes Group in Orlando, which advises companies on security technology.
As the business evolves, there should be fewer missteps. But money will likely keep flowing from corporations willing to pay the price for a little peace of mind.
By Paul Magnusson and Spencer E. Ante, with Michael Arndt in Chicago, Stan Crock in Washington, and Emily Thornton in New York
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Prevention and Public Health Fund from Affordable Act
Our Passion is 2 reach our individual & collective potential 4 excellence & Success-Always!
The Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund in Your State
The Affordable Care Act creates a new Prevention and Public Health Fund to assist state and community efforts to prevent illness and promote health, so that all Americans can lead longer, more productive lives. The Fund represents an unprecedented investment – $15 billion over 10 years – that will help prevent disease, detect it early, and manage conditions before they become severe. By concentrating on the causes of chronic disease, the Affordable Care Act helps move the nation from a focus on sickness and disease to one based on wellness and prevention.
The Cost of Chronic Disease & the Need for Prevention
Chronic diseases – such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes – are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75% of the nation’s health spending. Often related to economic, social, and physical factors, too many people engage in behaviors – such as tobacco use, poor diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol abuse – that lead to poor health and contribute to chronic disease.
A new focus on prevention will offer our nation the opportunity to not only improve the health of Americans, but also control health care spending. A report from Trust for America’s Health entitled Prevention for a Healthier America concluded that investing $10 per person per year in proven community-based programs that increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and prevent smoking and other tobacco use could save the country more than $16 billion annually within 5 years.
See How the Fund Improves Wellness and Prevention for Your State:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Posted: February 9, 2011
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The Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund in Your State
The Affordable Care Act creates a new Prevention and Public Health Fund to assist state and community efforts to prevent illness and promote health, so that all Americans can lead longer, more productive lives. The Fund represents an unprecedented investment – $15 billion over 10 years – that will help prevent disease, detect it early, and manage conditions before they become severe. By concentrating on the causes of chronic disease, the Affordable Care Act helps move the nation from a focus on sickness and disease to one based on wellness and prevention.
The Cost of Chronic Disease & the Need for Prevention
Chronic diseases – such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes – are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75% of the nation’s health spending. Often related to economic, social, and physical factors, too many people engage in behaviors – such as tobacco use, poor diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol abuse – that lead to poor health and contribute to chronic disease.
A new focus on prevention will offer our nation the opportunity to not only improve the health of Americans, but also control health care spending. A report from Trust for America’s Health entitled Prevention for a Healthier America concluded that investing $10 per person per year in proven community-based programs that increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and prevent smoking and other tobacco use could save the country more than $16 billion annually within 5 years.
See How the Fund Improves Wellness and Prevention for Your State:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Posted: February 9, 2011
Home
A federal government Website managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W. - Washington, D.C. 20201
Accessibility
Privacy Policy
Disclaimers
Viewers & Players
WhiteHouse.gov
USA.gov
GobiernoUSA.gov
Take Action
Find Insurance Options
Get Prevention Tips
Compare Care Quality
Understand the Law
Information For You
Families & Children
Individuals
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Young Adults
Employers
Resources
Newsroom
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Stay Connected
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$750 Million Investment in Prevention
Our Passion is 2 reach our individual & collective potential 4 Excellence & Success-Always!
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343
HHS Announces $750 Million Investment in Prevention
New health care law provides new funding to reduce tobacco use, obesity and heart disease, and build healthier communities
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced a $750 million investment in prevention and public health, funded through the Prevention and Public Health Fund created by the new health care law.
Building on $500 million in investments last year, these new dollars will help prevent tobacco use, obesity, heart disease, stroke, and cancer; increase immunizations; and empower individuals and communities with tools and resources for local prevention and health initiatives.
“Prevention is something that can’t just happen in a doctor’s office. If we are to address the big health issues of our time, from physical inactivity to poor nutrition to tobacco use, it needs to happen in local communities,” said Sebelius.
“This investment is going to build on the prevention work already under way to help make sure that we are working effectively across the federal government as well as with private groups and state and local governments to help Americans live longer, healthier lives.”
The Prevention and Public Health Fund, part of the Affordable Care Act, is designed to expand and sustain the necessary capacity to prevent disease, detect it early, manage conditions before they become severe, and provide states and communities the resources they need to promote healthy living.
In FY2010, $500 million of the Prevention Fund was distributed to states and communities to boost prevention and public health efforts, improve health, enhance health care quality, and foster the next generation of primary health professionals. Today, HHS posted new fact sheets detailing how that $500 million was allocated in every state. Those fact sheets are available at www.HealthCare.gov/news/factsheets/prevention02092011a.html.
This year, building on the initial investment, new funds are dedicated to expanding on four critical priorities:
Community Prevention ($298 million): These funds will be used to help promote health and wellness in local communities, including efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use; improve nutrition and increase physical activity to prevent obesity; and coordinate and focus efforts to prevent chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Clinical Prevention ($182 million): These funds will help improve access to preventive care, including increasing awareness of the new prevention benefits provided under the new health care law. They will also help increase availability and use of immunizations, and help integrate behavioral health services into primary care settings.
Public Health Infrastructure ($137 million): These funds will help state and local health departments meet 21st century challenges, including investments in information technology and training for the public health workforce to enable detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks and other health threats.
Research and Tracking ($133 million): These funds will help collect data to monitor the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the health of Americans and identify and disseminate evidence-based recommendations on important public health challenges.
The Obama Administration recognizes the importance of a broad approach to addressing the health and well-being of our communities. Other initiatives put forth by the Obama Administration to promote prevention include:
The President’s Childhood Obesity Task Force and the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative aimed at combating childhood obesity.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that provides $1 billion for community-based initiatives, tobacco cessation activities, chronic disease reduction programs, and efforts to reduce healthcare-acquired infections.
The Affordable Care Act’s National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council, composed of senior government officials, charged with designing a National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy.
For more information about the FY2011 Prevention and Public Health Fund investments, visit http://www.HealthCare.gov/news/factsheets/prevention02092011b.html.
###
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
Last revised: February 09, 2011
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343
HHS Announces $750 Million Investment in Prevention
New health care law provides new funding to reduce tobacco use, obesity and heart disease, and build healthier communities
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced a $750 million investment in prevention and public health, funded through the Prevention and Public Health Fund created by the new health care law.
Building on $500 million in investments last year, these new dollars will help prevent tobacco use, obesity, heart disease, stroke, and cancer; increase immunizations; and empower individuals and communities with tools and resources for local prevention and health initiatives.
“Prevention is something that can’t just happen in a doctor’s office. If we are to address the big health issues of our time, from physical inactivity to poor nutrition to tobacco use, it needs to happen in local communities,” said Sebelius.
“This investment is going to build on the prevention work already under way to help make sure that we are working effectively across the federal government as well as with private groups and state and local governments to help Americans live longer, healthier lives.”
The Prevention and Public Health Fund, part of the Affordable Care Act, is designed to expand and sustain the necessary capacity to prevent disease, detect it early, manage conditions before they become severe, and provide states and communities the resources they need to promote healthy living.
In FY2010, $500 million of the Prevention Fund was distributed to states and communities to boost prevention and public health efforts, improve health, enhance health care quality, and foster the next generation of primary health professionals. Today, HHS posted new fact sheets detailing how that $500 million was allocated in every state. Those fact sheets are available at www.HealthCare.gov/news/factsheets/prevention02092011a.html.
This year, building on the initial investment, new funds are dedicated to expanding on four critical priorities:
Community Prevention ($298 million): These funds will be used to help promote health and wellness in local communities, including efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use; improve nutrition and increase physical activity to prevent obesity; and coordinate and focus efforts to prevent chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Clinical Prevention ($182 million): These funds will help improve access to preventive care, including increasing awareness of the new prevention benefits provided under the new health care law. They will also help increase availability and use of immunizations, and help integrate behavioral health services into primary care settings.
Public Health Infrastructure ($137 million): These funds will help state and local health departments meet 21st century challenges, including investments in information technology and training for the public health workforce to enable detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks and other health threats.
Research and Tracking ($133 million): These funds will help collect data to monitor the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the health of Americans and identify and disseminate evidence-based recommendations on important public health challenges.
The Obama Administration recognizes the importance of a broad approach to addressing the health and well-being of our communities. Other initiatives put forth by the Obama Administration to promote prevention include:
The President’s Childhood Obesity Task Force and the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative aimed at combating childhood obesity.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that provides $1 billion for community-based initiatives, tobacco cessation activities, chronic disease reduction programs, and efforts to reduce healthcare-acquired infections.
The Affordable Care Act’s National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council, composed of senior government officials, charged with designing a National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy.
For more information about the FY2011 Prevention and Public Health Fund investments, visit http://www.HealthCare.gov/news/factsheets/prevention02092011b.html.
###
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
Last revised: February 09, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Living every minute to your potential!
Differentiating between the living and the dead, between people and objects!
03 February 2011
USED VS LOVED . . .
A must read by all humans and divine ones!
While a man was polishing his new car, his 4 yr old son picked up stone and scratched lines on the side of the car. In anger, the man took the child's hand and hit it many times; not realizing he was using a wrench.
At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures. When the child saw his father.....with painful eyes he asked, 'Dad when will my fingers grow back?' The man was so hurt and speechless; he went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times.
Devastated by his own actions......sitting in front of that car he looked at the scratches; the child had written 'LOVE YOU DAD'.
The next day that man committed suicide. . .
Anger and Love have no limits; choose the latter to have a beautiful, lovely life..... Things are to be used and people are to be loved.
But the problem in today's world is that people are used and things are loved... During this year, let's be careful to keep this thought in mind: Things are to be used but People are to be LOVED ... Be yourself....This is the only day we HAVE.
By the way regardless of all the talk about eternity, heaven and hell, science and faith has proven without doubt that we only have this universe, the Milky way galaxy and the Solar System and our planet is blessed with oxygen, the breath of life, and the only life worth accounting t for is the one we are living now! ! So live to your potential.
Imagine, beginning your heaven here on earth, today and now!
Have a nice day.
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character;
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
www.GlobalBelaiJesus.com
03 February 2011
USED VS LOVED . . .
A must read by all humans and divine ones!
While a man was polishing his new car, his 4 yr old son picked up stone and scratched lines on the side of the car. In anger, the man took the child's hand and hit it many times; not realizing he was using a wrench.
At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures. When the child saw his father.....with painful eyes he asked, 'Dad when will my fingers grow back?' The man was so hurt and speechless; he went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times.
Devastated by his own actions......sitting in front of that car he looked at the scratches; the child had written 'LOVE YOU DAD'.
The next day that man committed suicide. . .
Anger and Love have no limits; choose the latter to have a beautiful, lovely life..... Things are to be used and people are to be loved.
But the problem in today's world is that people are used and things are loved... During this year, let's be careful to keep this thought in mind: Things are to be used but People are to be LOVED ... Be yourself....This is the only day we HAVE.
By the way regardless of all the talk about eternity, heaven and hell, science and faith has proven without doubt that we only have this universe, the Milky way galaxy and the Solar System and our planet is blessed with oxygen, the breath of life, and the only life worth accounting t for is the one we are living now! ! So live to your potential.
Imagine, beginning your heaven here on earth, today and now!
Have a nice day.
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character;
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
www.GlobalBelaiJesus.com
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
High risk for Heart Attack: Hypertensives and hypercholestremics in USA
Newsroom HomePress Release Archive
Press Release
For Immediate Release: February 1, 2011
Contact: CDC Injury Center Media Relations
(770) 488-4902
Most Americans with High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol at Unnecessary Risk for Heart Attack and Stroke
80 percent of adults with uncontrolled blood pressure or high cholesterol have insurance and availability to low cost effective treatment
Two out of three U.S. adults with high cholesterol and half of U.S. adults with high blood pressure are not being treated effectively, according to the latest Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although treatment of high blood pressure and high cholesterol is very effective and relatively low-cost, most people with these conditions remain at elevated risk for heart attacks, strokes, and other problems. People who lack health insurance have the lowest rates of control. Among those whose blood pressure or cholesterol is not under control, more than 80 percent have private or public health insurance – showing that health care coverage is necessary but, for most people, not enough to control these leading killers.
High blood pressure and cholesterol are two major risk factors for heart attacks, strokes, and related vascular diseases, which kill more than 800,000 Americans each year – more than any other condition. Of these, 150,000 are younger than age 65.
"Although we're making some progress, the United States is failing to prevent the leading cause of death—cardiovascular disease—despite the existence of low cost, highly effective treatments," said Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., CDC director. "We need to do a better job improving care and supporting patients to prevent avoidable illness, disability, and death."
Cardiovascular disease costs the nation an estimated $300 billion each year in direct medical costs and those costs are increasing rapidly. Treatment for this disease accounts for $1 in every $6 US health dollars spent. The report examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), an ongoing study that explores the health and nutritional status of about 5,000 participants every year.
Among the findings in the Vital Signs Report:
By the Numbers – High Blood Pressure
1 in 3 Adults has high blood pressure
1 in 3 Adults with high blood pressure does not get treatment
1 in 2 Adults with high blood pressure does not have it under control
By the Numbers – High Cholesterol
1 in 3 Adults has high cholesterol
1 in 2 Adults with high cholesterol does not get treatment
2 in 3 Adults with high cholesterol do not have it under control
The Vital Signs report also noted that control rates for high blood pressure and high cholesterol are especially low among people in certain socioeconomic and ethnic groups. Those with the lowest rates of control had no health insurance, no usual source of medical care, had received care less than twice in the last year, or had income below the poverty level. Rates of control also were low among young adults and Mexican Americans.
To improve blood pressure and cholesterol control levels among U.S. adults in every age group, a comprehensive approach that involves policy and systems changes to improve health care access, quality of preventive care, and patient adherence to treatment is needed, according to the authors of the report.
The Affordable Care Act provides coverage for blood pressure and cholesterol screenings with no cost sharing. Additional health care system improvements including electronic health records with registry and reminder functions can improve follow up treatment and management. Allied health professionals (nurses, dietitians, health educators, and pharmacists) can also help increase patient adherence to medications.
In CDC is collaborating with other federal agencies to address cardiovascular disease by improving coordination of care, increasing attention to population health, supporting Healthy People 2020 cardiovascular health goals and objectives. In addition, the agency is complementing the Let's Move initiative and other public health efforts that help Americans make healthy lifestyle choices, such as staying active, eating well and maintaining a healthy weight.
It's important for individuals to understand healthy markers when it comes to cholesterol and blood pressure. LDL cholesterol (or bad cholesterol) should be less than 160 for people without heart disease or diabetes; less than 130 for people without heart disease or diabetes but with two or more other risk factors for heart disease; and below 100 for people with heart disease or diabetes. Blood pressure should be less than 120 over 80 and requires management if it is higher than 140 over 90.
Also, patient adoption of healthy behaviors is critical. Individuals can take steps to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and improve their heart health by consuming a diet that is low in sodium; low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol; rich in fruits and vegetables; and balanced with a healthy level of exercise. Making a healthy diet accessible and affordable for all Americans is an important part of the solution. Food producers and processors, restaurants, and fast food businesses can help by reducing salt in our foods, according to the report.
For more information on heart disease, visit www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns or www.cdc.gov/dhdsp. To learn more about how heart disease affects your community, visit www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/ncvdss.
About Vital Signs
CDC Vital Signs is a report that appears on the first Tuesday of the month as part of the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Vital Signs is designed to provide the latest data and information on key health indicators – cancer prevention, obesity, tobacco use, alcohol use, access to health care, HIV/AIDS, motor vehicle passenger safety, health care-associated infections, cardiovascular health, teen pregnancy, infant mortality, asthma and food safety.
###
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Em
What's this?
Contact CDC:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333
800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348
24 Hours/Every Day
cdcinfo@cdc.gov
Press Release
For Immediate Release: February 1, 2011
Contact: CDC Injury Center Media Relations
(770) 488-4902
Most Americans with High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol at Unnecessary Risk for Heart Attack and Stroke
80 percent of adults with uncontrolled blood pressure or high cholesterol have insurance and availability to low cost effective treatment
Two out of three U.S. adults with high cholesterol and half of U.S. adults with high blood pressure are not being treated effectively, according to the latest Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although treatment of high blood pressure and high cholesterol is very effective and relatively low-cost, most people with these conditions remain at elevated risk for heart attacks, strokes, and other problems. People who lack health insurance have the lowest rates of control. Among those whose blood pressure or cholesterol is not under control, more than 80 percent have private or public health insurance – showing that health care coverage is necessary but, for most people, not enough to control these leading killers.
High blood pressure and cholesterol are two major risk factors for heart attacks, strokes, and related vascular diseases, which kill more than 800,000 Americans each year – more than any other condition. Of these, 150,000 are younger than age 65.
"Although we're making some progress, the United States is failing to prevent the leading cause of death—cardiovascular disease—despite the existence of low cost, highly effective treatments," said Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., CDC director. "We need to do a better job improving care and supporting patients to prevent avoidable illness, disability, and death."
Cardiovascular disease costs the nation an estimated $300 billion each year in direct medical costs and those costs are increasing rapidly. Treatment for this disease accounts for $1 in every $6 US health dollars spent. The report examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), an ongoing study that explores the health and nutritional status of about 5,000 participants every year.
Among the findings in the Vital Signs Report:
By the Numbers – High Blood Pressure
1 in 3 Adults has high blood pressure
1 in 3 Adults with high blood pressure does not get treatment
1 in 2 Adults with high blood pressure does not have it under control
By the Numbers – High Cholesterol
1 in 3 Adults has high cholesterol
1 in 2 Adults with high cholesterol does not get treatment
2 in 3 Adults with high cholesterol do not have it under control
The Vital Signs report also noted that control rates for high blood pressure and high cholesterol are especially low among people in certain socioeconomic and ethnic groups. Those with the lowest rates of control had no health insurance, no usual source of medical care, had received care less than twice in the last year, or had income below the poverty level. Rates of control also were low among young adults and Mexican Americans.
To improve blood pressure and cholesterol control levels among U.S. adults in every age group, a comprehensive approach that involves policy and systems changes to improve health care access, quality of preventive care, and patient adherence to treatment is needed, according to the authors of the report.
The Affordable Care Act provides coverage for blood pressure and cholesterol screenings with no cost sharing. Additional health care system improvements including electronic health records with registry and reminder functions can improve follow up treatment and management. Allied health professionals (nurses, dietitians, health educators, and pharmacists) can also help increase patient adherence to medications.
In CDC is collaborating with other federal agencies to address cardiovascular disease by improving coordination of care, increasing attention to population health, supporting Healthy People 2020 cardiovascular health goals and objectives. In addition, the agency is complementing the Let's Move initiative and other public health efforts that help Americans make healthy lifestyle choices, such as staying active, eating well and maintaining a healthy weight.
It's important for individuals to understand healthy markers when it comes to cholesterol and blood pressure. LDL cholesterol (or bad cholesterol) should be less than 160 for people without heart disease or diabetes; less than 130 for people without heart disease or diabetes but with two or more other risk factors for heart disease; and below 100 for people with heart disease or diabetes. Blood pressure should be less than 120 over 80 and requires management if it is higher than 140 over 90.
Also, patient adoption of healthy behaviors is critical. Individuals can take steps to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and improve their heart health by consuming a diet that is low in sodium; low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol; rich in fruits and vegetables; and balanced with a healthy level of exercise. Making a healthy diet accessible and affordable for all Americans is an important part of the solution. Food producers and processors, restaurants, and fast food businesses can help by reducing salt in our foods, according to the report.
For more information on heart disease, visit www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns or www.cdc.gov/dhdsp. To learn more about how heart disease affects your community, visit www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/ncvdss.
About Vital Signs
CDC Vital Signs is a report that appears on the first Tuesday of the month as part of the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Vital Signs is designed to provide the latest data and information on key health indicators – cancer prevention, obesity, tobacco use, alcohol use, access to health care, HIV/AIDS, motor vehicle passenger safety, health care-associated infections, cardiovascular health, teen pregnancy, infant mortality, asthma and food safety.
###
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Em
What's this?
Contact CDC:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333
800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348
24 Hours/Every Day
cdcinfo@cdc.gov
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