Cardiovascular Disease

Background

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD), principally heart disease and stroke, is the Nation's leading killer for both men and women among all racial and ethnic groups. More than 960,000 Americans die of CVD each year, accounting for more than 40% of all deaths.

• About 58 million Americans (almost one-fourth of the nation's population) live with some form of cardiovascular disease.

• Heart disease is the leading cause of premature, permanent disability among working adults. Stroke alone accounts for disability among more than one million people nationwide Almost 6 million hospitalizations each year are due to cardiovascular disease. Congestive heart failure, one form of cardiovascular disease, is the single most frequent cause of hospitalization for people aged 65 years or older.

• CVD costs the nation $274 billion each year, including health expenditures and lost productivity.

• Until fiscal year (FY) 1998, no federal funding had been directed to states to target CVD.
  
  
  

CVD Program Activity

Recognizing the immense burden of CVD, in FY 1998, Congress made available funding to initiate a national, state-based CVD prevention program, starting with eight states, and in FY 1999 to expanded to eleven states. In FY 2000, CDC will spend more than $25 million for the prevention and control of CVD and its disabling conditions. These activities include:

• Funding 5-6 additional states to implement CVD prevention and control programs with environmental interventions and policy strategies.
  
  
• Assisting states to better measure the burden of CVD, monitor progress in reducing risk behaviors, and determine the economic cost of the disease.
  
  
• Funding state programs and research that address racial and ethnic disparities in CVD.
  
  
• Enhancing CDC's National Standards Laboratory to improve state laboratory capacity and tailor screening procedures for youth, elderly and minority populations.

CDC also supports other public health programs that contribute to CVD prevention, including testing a model CVD screening program among at-risk women; supporting university-based Prevention Research Centers to develop effective interventions; and funding state school health programs and tobacco prevention and control programs.

Example of Program in Action

The New York State Health Department's Healthy Heart Program works with employers, schools, and organizations of faith to reduce the prevalence of poor nutrition and physical inactivity. In addition,, the New York State Health Department and dairy industry professionals launched a 9-week campaign to increase the consumption of low-fat milk. The campaign, which included television and radio commercials, a campaign kick-off covered by local media, and milk taste tests in grocery stores and schools, resulted in a marked increase in low-fat and overall milk sales.

With funding from CDC's cardiovascular disease program, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has developed a guidebook and training materials for public health professionals and biking and walking enthusiasts. The project focuses on methods for collecting and using data on the suitability of local roads to advocate for policies that support bicycling and walking.

Informative Charts (PDF-261K)

Here are four informative charts on issues concerning cardiovascular disease, including states funded by CDC for cardiovascular health, the overall disease burden, obesity as a major risk factor, and the health impact for women.

Preventing Cardiovascular Disease: Addressing the Nation's Leading Killer, At-A-Glance

More Cardiovascular Disease Infor

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This page last reviewed June 1, 1999.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion