Facts & Statistics

• Heart Disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States.
• Cardiovascular disease is the cause of more deaths than the next five causes of death combined, which are cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, accidents, diabetes mellitus, and flu/pneumonia.
• Worldwide, coronary heart disease killed more than 7.6 million people in 2005.
• In 2009 alone, heart disease is projected to cost more than $304.6 billion, including health care services, medications, and lost productivity.
• Every 34 seconds a person in the United States dies from heart disease.
• More than 2,500 Americans die from heart disease each day.
• Every 20 seconds, a person in the United States has a heart attack.
• About 6 million hospitalizations each year in the United States are due to cardiovascular disease.
• It is estimated that 47 percent of cardiac deaths occur before emergency services or transport to the hospital.
• At least 250,000 people die of heart attacks each year before they even reach a hospital.
• Studies among people without heart disease have shown that lowering high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure can reduce the risk of developing heart disease.