In this teaching and curriculum guide for community health education, a design is suggested for a course that could help prevent premature deaths due to heart disease. The course communicates facts regarding the causes of cardiovascular diseases, and outlines opportunities for attaining the degree of physical conditioning essential to prevention. A model 30 week heart disease prevention course is charted. General aspects of the problem are discussed, followed by a section (optional) on how to test for risk factors. Other sections present concepts, facts, suggested approaches, and anticipated questions on such topics as the physiology of the heart and the effects of nutrition, smoking, and stress. Chapter references, mortality statistics, and a directory of New York State agencies interested in heart disease prevention, also appear. (LY)