Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women as it is for people of most racial/ethnic groups, including African Americans, Hispanics, and whites.
For Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders and American Indians or Alaska Natives, heart disease is second only to cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In 2015 More than half of the deaths due to heart disease were in men. In the United States, 1 in every 4 deaths is the result of heart disease. That’s about 630,000 people who die from the condition each year, and more than one person each minute.
Heart disease encompasses a wide range of cardiovascular problems. Several diseases and conditions fall under the umbrella of heart disease, but the most common type is Coronary Heart Disease (CAD), killing about 366,000 people in 2015.
CAD is caused by the buildup of plaque in the heart’s arteries.
It’s sometimes called ischemic heart disease. In the United States; the total direct medical cost of heart disease is about $200 billion each year.
This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity.
Some of the key heart disease risk factors are high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking.
A number of factors and lifestyle choices are associated with the build-up of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries, including diabetes, overweight and obesity, poor diet, Excessive alcohol use, lack of physical activity and a family history of the disease.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_heart_disease.htm
