Heart Disease Remains Leading Cause of Death in US
The prevalence of high blood pressure is highest in Mississippi at 40.2% compared with the lowest in Colorado at 24.6%.
February is American Heart Month, but heart disease remains a leading cause of death, with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) continuing to rise, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).1
February is American Heart Month, but heart disease remains a leading cause of death. | Image Credit: Syda Productions | stock.adobe.com
“Did you know that in the US, someone dies of cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds? Nearly 2500 people in the US die from cardiovascular disease every day. Those are alarming statistics to me—and they should be alarming for all of us because it’s likely many among those whom we lose will be our friends and loved ones,” Keith Churchwell, MD, FAHA, the volunteer president of the American Heart Association, said in a news release.1 “Too many people are dying from heart disease and from stroke which remains the [fifth] leading cause of death. Together, they kill more people than all cancers and accidental deaths—the [number] 2 and [number] 3 causes of death—combined.1
In the AHA Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update, investigators gathered data on a range of cardiovascular and circulatory diseases, including stroke, brain health, complications of pregnancy, kidney disease, congenital heart disease, rhythm disorders, sudden cardiac arrest, and more. The Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee, part of AHA, monitors and evaluates data on heart disease and stroke in the United States in order to provide the most up-to-date statistical data for the year prior to writing. In the 2025 update, AHA provides reviews of data and published literature for 2024, contributed by clinicians, scientists, government professionals, and AHA staff. In this issue, investigators focused on health equity in 7 domains including approximately 3000 new data sources.2
In high blood cholesterol and other lipids, approximately 20% of the population has elevated lipoprotein(a). For those with severe dyslipidemia, 78% reported cholesterol evaluations in the preceding 5 years, and no significant changes were seen between 2011 to 2012 and 2017 to 2020. In a clinical trial (NCT02993406), bempedoic acid showed an overall 13% relative risk reduction for patients who are intolerant to statin.3 Investigators also noted that among primary patient subgroups, the drug showed a 30% relative risk reduction.
As for high blood pressure, the prevalence was highest in Mississippi at 40.2% compared with the lowest in Colorado at 24.6%. Stratified by age, the prevalence of hypertension increases with age, with those 20 to 33 years being 28.5%, 45 to 64 years being 58.6%, and 65 years and older being 76.5%.2
For patients with diabetes, investigators noted that CVD is the leading cause of death, and composite risk factor control is still suboptimal. Additionally, in a meta-analysis of 28,193,768 individuals, metabolic syndrome prevalence varied globally from 12.5% to 31.4%, with the highest prevalence in the Eastern Mediterranean region and the Americas.4 For the US, AHA reported that the prevalence among youths aged 12 to 18 years was 3.73% for those who are Hispanic, 1.58% for non-Hispanic Black, and 2.78% for non-Hispanic White, according to data from 2001 to 2020. In 2017 to 2018, Mexican Americans had the highest prevalence of metabolic syndrome at 52.2%, followed by non-Hispanic Black adults at 47.6%, Asian/other adults and multi-race adults at 46.7%, non-Hispanic White adults at 46.6%, and other Hispanic adults at 45.9%.2
Additionally, AHA reported that, among 51,685,525 live births between 2007 and 2019, the hypertensive disorder of pregnancy rose from 38.4 per 1000 live births to 77.8 per 1000. The data also showed that the rates of preterm delivery and low-birth weight increased with co-occurring hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Further, the absolute rate of adverse pregnancy outcomes was higher for non-Hispanic Black adults and older adults.2
Highlighted in the report is the effect of kidney diseases, which has been rising over the past decade.
“In our report, we noted a significant increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease among Medicare beneficiaries from 9.2% in 2011 to 14.2% in 2021. Additionally, the global prevalence of kidney disease has increased more than 27% in relative terms since 2010,” Seth S. Martin, MD, MHS, FAHA, a professor of medicine and cardiologist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, said in the news release.1 “The reason this is important is that, first, cardiovascular disease is a major contributor to kidney disease. Second, the risk factors of these diseases are closely interrelated. These include high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes—all health conditions that are rising substantially across the US and the world.”
The AHA also maintained that there is a consistent association between reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate and higher urine albuminuria range with the incidence and prevalence of CVD. The addition of this ratio had improved the prediction of CVD beyond more traditional risk factors. Furthermore, obstructive sleep apnea is associated with higher odds of white matter hyperintensities.2
READ MORE: Cardiology Resource Center
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