Current 51 - Heart Disease Remains Leading Cause of Death in U.S.

Summary

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, surpassing both cancer and accidental deaths combined, according to a recent statistical update from the American Heart Association published in Circulation.^1,2

In 2022, cardiovascular disease accounted for 941,652 deaths, an increase from 931,578 in 2021. Coronary heart disease was the leading contributor, causing 371,506 deaths, while stroke was responsible for 165,393. Myocardial infarctions remain prevalent, with an estimated 605,000 new and 200,000 recurrent cases annually. The average age of first myocardial infarction is 65.6 years for men and 72.0 years for women.

Despite advancements in cardiovascular care, key risk factors continue to rise. Nearly 47% of U.S. adults have hypertension, over 72% have an elevated body mass index (BMI of ≥ 25), and approximately 42% meet the criteria for having obesity (BMI of ≥ 30). Additionally, more than 57% of U.S. adults have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.^3,4 Chronic kidney disease has also risen significantly. While smoking prevalence has declined significantly, the use of tobacco among youth remains concerning, with 12.6% of high school students reporting current use in 2023. Addressing these risk factors through tailored interventions is essential to reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease and improving public health outcomes.

Sources

1. Martin SS, Aday AW, Allen NB, et al; American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Committee. 2025 Heart disease and stroke statistics: a report of US and global data from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2025;151(8):e41-e660. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001303.

2. Kazi DS. State of the heart (and brain) in 2025. Circulation. 2025;151(8):515-517. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.073826.

3. American Heart Association. Heart disease remains leading cause of death as key health risk factors continue to rise. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/heart-disease-remains-leading-cause-of-death-as-key-health-risk-factors-continue-to-rise. Published January 27, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2025.

4. American Heart Association. When it comes to heart and brain health, these are numbers you should know. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2025/01/27/when-it-comes-to-heart-and-brain-health-numbers-to-know.Published January 27, 2025. Accessed April 21, 2025.

This summary was created with assistance from generative artificial intelligence (ChatGPT, 2025)