Cardiovascular disease is a broad term for all diseases that affect the heart or blood vessels. This includes heart attack and stroke as well as conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and aortic aneurism.
The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease, which can cause heart attack, severe chest pain, heart failure, and irregular heartbeat. Several factors contribute to heart disease, including genetics, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, unhealthy diet, and lack of exercise.
Statistics
o Approximately 49% of adults have at least one major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
o Heart disease kills roughly the same number people in the United States each year as cancer, lower respiratory diseases (including pneumonia), and accidents combined.
o 2,000,000 heart attacks and strokes occur in the US each year.
o Number of people in the United States who die from heart disease:
o 1 in 4 deaths in the United States is due to heart disease.
o 1 in 3 adults (80 Million) in the United States have some form of heart disease, stroke, or other blood vessel diseases.
o Heart disease and stroke cost the nation $444 billion/year in health care costs and lost economic productivity.
Risk Factors
We’re all at risk for heart disease and stroke. However, certain groups—including African Americans, older individuals, and women—are at higher risk than others. With more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes happening every year in the United States, it’s important to know the risks.
Many risk factors —including high blood pressure and high cholesterol—may not have any symptoms. But most risk factors for heart disease and stroke—specifically high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and obesity—are preventable and controllable.
Controlling these risk factors could reduce your risk by more than 80%!
Prevention
Talking to your health care professional about your heart health and getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked are important first steps to reduce your risk. Many other lifestyle choices—including eating healthy, exercising regularly, not smoking, and following your health care professional’s instructions about your medications—can all help protect your heart and brain health.
For more information go to: https://millionhearts.hhs.gov/about_hd.html
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