Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the first and third leading causes of death for both men and women in the United States. They account for more than one-third (35.3%) of all U.S. deaths, yet these chronic diseases are also among the most preventable.

More than 151,000 Americans who died of cardiovascular diseases in 2005 were younger than age 65. Heart disease and stroke are also among the leading causes of disability in the U.S. workforce, with nearly 1 million people being disabled from strokes alone.

The cost of heart disease and stroke in the United States, including health care expenditures and lost productivity from deaths and disability, is projected to be more than $475 billion in 2009. As the U.S. population ages, the economic impact of cardiovascular diseases on our nation’s health care system will become even greater.

Leading a healthy lifestyle—not using tobacco, being physically active, and making healthy food choices—greatly reduces a person’s risk of developing heart disease or stroke.

Tagged as: Cardiovascular Disease, heart disease, stroke