Cardiovascular Disease in the United States

Heart disease and stroke are, respectively, the first and third leading causes of death for both men and women among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States and are major causes of disability.

More than 64 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and other conditions.

In 2001, heart disease and stroke accounted for more than 863,000 deaths in the United States.

The cost of heart disease and stroke in the United States is projected to be $368 billion in 2004, including health care expenditures and lost productivity from death and disability.

Nearly 20 percent of cardiovascular heart disease deaths are smoking-related. Smokers are at twice the risk for heart attack as are nonsmokers.

Sedentary people have twice the risk for heart disease compared to those who are physically active. More than 25 percent of adults report no leisure-time physical activity.

Overweight individuals have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. More than 57 percent of American adults were overweight by self-reported height and weight in 2000.

Sources: Preventing Heart Disease and Stroke: Addressing the Nation’s Leading Killers, At-A-Glance 2003; The Burden of Chronic Diseases and Their Risk Factors: National and State Perspectives 2004; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Resources: American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/cvh/)

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