Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Even when heart disease doesn’t result in death, it can cause disabilities and lessen quality of life.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one person dies every 34 seconds in the United States from heart disease:
• About 697,000 people in the United States died from heart disease in
2020—that’s 1 in every 5 deaths
• In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds
• Every year, about 805,000 people in the United States have a heart attack
- 605,000 are a first heart attack
- 200,000 happen to people who have already had a heart attack
- About 1 in 5 heart attacks are silent—the damage is done, but the person is not aware of it
High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease.
Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including:
• Diabetes
• Overweight and Obesity
• Unhealthy Diet
• Physical Inactivity
• Excessive Alcohol Use