Many deaths from heart disease and stroke can be prevented.

	At least 200,000 deaths from heart disease and stroke each year are preventable.*
	More than half of preventable heart disease and stroke deaths happen to people under age 65.
	Black people are nearly twice as likely to die from preventable heart disease and stroke compared to other races.

 

Nearly 1 in 3 deaths in the US each year is caused by heart disease and stroke. At least 200,000 of these deaths could have been prevented through changes in health habits, such as stopping smoking, more physical activity, and less salt in the diet; community changes to create healthier living spaces, such as safe places to exercise and smoke-free areas; and managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

What do we know about preventable deaths from heart disease and stroke? Your chances of dying from heart disease and stroke depend on many things.

• Age: While the number of preventable deaths has declined in people ages 65-74, it has remained virtually unchanged in people under 65.
• Race/ethnicity: Black people are nearly twice as likely to die early from heart disease and stroke compared to other races.
• Sex: Men have the highest risk of death across all races and ethnic groups.

Black men are most at risk.

• Location: Risk of preventable death from heart disease and stroke varies by county, even within the same state.

Interestingly, counties in southern states have the greatest risk overall

View more maps at the Interactive Atlas for Heart Disease and Stroke.