How common is cardiovascular disease?

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the number one cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of over 33 percent of the more than 2.4 million people who die each year in the U.S., or over 813,000 people. (Cancer ranks second, killing nearly 563,000 people annually.) Over 150,000 Americans killed by cardiovascular disease in 2007 were under age 65.

More than 82 million Americans in 2007 were estimated to have some form of cardiovascular disease. Estimates by the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the number of Americans affected by key cardiovascular conditions:

• High blood pressure - 76.4 million
• Coronary artery disease - 16.3 million
• Heart attack - 7.9 million
• Chest pain (angina) - 9 million
• Stroke - 7 million
• Heart failure - 5.7 million

Cardiovascular disease (heart disease, stroke and other vascular diseases) is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from cardiovascular disease, equal to 2,200 deaths per day. These conditions are also leading causes of disability, preventing people from working and enjoying family activities.

The presence of the CDC logo and CDC content on this page should not be construed to imply endorsement by the US Government of any commercial products or services, or to replace the advice of a medical professional. The mark “CDC” is licensed under authority of the PHS.