Heart Health Facts & Figures
Heartbreaking Figures
Check out the latest stats and risk factors for cardiovascular disease
90 seconds Every 1½ minutes, someone in the U.S. dies from heart disease.
83.6 million The number of Americans who have one or more types of heart disease.
47% Nearly half of Americans have at least one of these three risk factors for cardiovascular disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol or smoking.
20% 20% of deaths from heart disease in the U.S. are related to cigarette smoking.
31% A diet high in saturated fat is to blame for almost a third of coronary heart disease cases.
1/3 More than one-third of Americans are obese, a top risk factor for heart disease. Additionally, a third of Americans are overweight but not obese.
49% Nearly half of African-American women have some form of cardiovascular disease, as do 44% of AfricanAmerican men.
1 in 3 About 33% of American adults have high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease. Sources: American Heart Association, The Heart Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Heart Federation, American College of Cardiology
The Long History of Heart Disease When it comes to cardiovascular risks, even mummies weren’t immune King Tut didn’t have Pizza Hut, but he might have had clogged arteries. By using CT scans on mummies, researchers have found evidence of atherosclerosis among ancient Egyptians and other groups from Peru, the Aleutian Islands and the American Southwest. In fact, the researchers, whose study was published in the journal Global Heart, found that more than a third of 76 Egyptian mummies had clogged arteries, with similar percentages across the other ancient cultures. And all this without fast food and desk jobs. So does this mean the modern-day man can trade the treadmill for TV? Not so fast. Genes account for some of our heart disease risk, but environmental and lifestyle factors are also at play. To take care of your ticker, modern-day advice about eating right and exercising still holds true.
The Numbers Don't Lie
Three facts about men's heart health that you may not have heard before
31: Percentage of adult men in the U.S. who do not smoke. This is great news! Smoking is one of the main risk factors for heart disease.
10: Minutes you should spend three times a day doing mini-workouts to lower blood pressure. Do situps during TV commercials or climb stairs at work!
78: Percentage of men in the U.S., ages 20 and older, living with high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; American Heart Association
The Heart Truth
7 myths about heart disease debunked They say love is blind. But you shouldn’t be in the dark when it comes to matters of the heart. Matters of heart health, that is. Misconceptions about cardiovascular disease abound. We’re here to set the record straight on seven of them.
Myth: I’m on heart medication, so I can eat whatever I want. Truth: Medication can’t substitute for a healthy lifestyle. “I hear this one a lot,” says Barbara J. Fletcher, RN, president of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association. “A lot of people on cholesterol-lowering drugs or blood pressure medication, think they can eat whatever they want. But that’s not the case.” In reality, medication gets you only so far. “It should be used to supplement a healthy lifestyle,” Fletcher says. “Not the other way around.” A heart-healthy lifestyle means eating a diet low in sodium, fat and sugar and rich in fruits, vegetables and fiber, and being active. “Exercise—I can’t say enough about it—it’s extremely beneficial,” Fletcher says. “But you need to be careful. Check with your primary care provider before beginning a new program. The goal is to build up to 300 minutes of activity per week.”
Myth: I should start taking aspirin every day to prevent heart attack. Truth: Aspirin therapy isn’t for everyone. Check with your doctor first. Aspirin has been found to be beneficial in preventing heart attacks in people who are at high risk and those who have already had a heart attack. It works by thinning the blood, thereby preventing clots from forming. But while aspirin is available over the counter, it’s not without risk. “It’s not a benign drug,” Fletcher says. “Aspirin is a medication, and it does have side effects. So you should check with your provider before taking it on a daily basis.”
Myth: I’m too young to worry about heart disease. Truth: Heart disease can happen to anyone. It’s true that heart disease risk rises with age, but that doesn’t mean young people are immune. “Heart disease can be hereditary, and that’s a major risk factor that we cannot control,” Fletcher says. “When you have a risk factor in addition to a family history, age has no impact.” Childhood obesity and the increased incidence of type 2 diabetes in children also raise the risk for heart disease in young people. As many as 70 percent of kids ages 5 to 17 who are obese have at least two risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, according to the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.
Myth: Heart disease is the same in men and women. Truth: Heart disease can affect men and women differently. For both sexes, the most common symptom of a heart attack—the main outcome of heart disease—is chest pain or pressure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). But women may not always experience this telltale symptom. They are more likely to have other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, and back or jaw pain. Why the difference? Women are more likely than men to have blockages in the small blood vessels rather than the large arteries, Fletcher says. The bottom line is, seek immediate medical attention if anything seems amiss.
Myth: I’d know if I had high blood pressure or cholesterol levels. Truth: You can’t feel high blood pressure or cholesterol. “Generally, high blood pressure is a silent killer—you do not know it or feel it,” Fletcher says. “By the time you have symptoms, it’s much too late. Same with cholesterol.” Because you can’t tell on your own, it’s important to get screened regularly. Your doctor should check your blood pressure at every appointment. Have it checked once a year if you’re not a frequent patient. Adults should have their cholesterol tested about every five years, the AHA recommends.
Myth: There’s no fixing heart disease. Truth: Heart disease is treatable. Lifestyle changes are highly effective in preventing and treating heart disease. So are medications. But you have to take them. “It’s sometimes difficult to get patients to take their medicines because they don’t have symptoms,” Fletcher says. “The medicines are excellent today. The problem is that we find excuses not to take them.”
Myth: Alcohol is good for the heart. Truth: It’s long been known that heavy alcohol consumption is detrimental to heart health. But studies in recent years have shown beneficial effects of light to moderate drinking. A study published recently in the journal BMJ, however, found that people who cut their alcohol use, even people who were already light drinkers, saw a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. So it seems the jury is out. Until further research is done, limit drinking to no more than one to two drinks per day for men and one for women. And if you don’t drink, don’t start.