Understanding the Problem

 

Cardiovascular Disease remains the #1 cause of death in the United States.

• Cardiovascular disease claims more lives per year than ALL cancers and AIDS combined.

• 79.4 million people in the United States have some form of cardiovascular disease.

• 325,000 American adults die each year due to sudden cardiac death (SCD). SCD is the largest cause of natural death in the U.S. and is responsible for half of all heart disease deaths.

• SCD often occurs in active, seemingly healthy people with no known heart disease or other health problems. But SCD is not a random event. Most victims already have heart disease or other health problems of which they are unaware.

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sudden cardiac death in people between the ages of 15-34 has increased by 10 percent in the last decade.

• The leading cause of death in the line of duty for the American firefighter, police officer, or emergency medical technicians is sudden cardiac arrest.  Heart disease is the number one killer of American first responder personnel.

• Cardiovascular disease kills over 480,000 women a year, about one per minute.

• Statistics show that African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease than Caucasians and are less aware of their cardiovascular risk factors.

Education, awareness and early-detection through cardiac screenings will help save lives.