AstraZeneca announced on 24 March, 2009 the launch of the 2009 US AGAINST ATHERO tour featuring the Artery Explorer – a state-of-the-art, multisensory, motion simulator that helps people visualise atherosclerosis, the progressive buildup of plaque inside the arteries.
The Artery Explorer kicks off its nationwide tour on 27 March in Washington, DC and will travel to a total of 16 cities across the country.
US AGAINST ATHERO was conceived three years ago by AstraZeneca after a nationwide Harris Interactive survey confirmed the general public’s low level of awareness about athero and its risks.
“The US AGAINST ATHERO movement has made great strides in mobilising Americans to make healthy choices. However, there is still a lot of work to be done,” said Dr George Kondos, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center. “Athero is a leading cause of heart disease, which remains the number one killer in this country. With the Artery Explorer tour, more people will get the opportunity to really see what happens when you allow the build-up of plaque to progress, and more importantly, what they can do to help prevent it.”
Inside the Artery Explorer, participants travel through the winding path of the human circulatory system as the arteries become narrow and blocked with plaque. Along the way, people are confronted by common risk factors for athero, such as LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking. The experience culminates with a head-on collision with a blood clot, memorably demonstrating how athero can lead to heart attack and stroke.
For a full listing of cities in the 2009 tour, visit www.athero.com.
