Public Enemy Number 1 in the US: Heart Disease

Heart disease is still public enemy number one is regards to cause of death in the U.S., but a new report indicates that some states suffer much more than others.

Heart disease is still public enemy number one is regards to cause of death in the U.S., but a new report indicates that some states suffer much more than others. Statistics released by the American Heart Association show that heart disease — including high blood pressure, heart attack, angina, congestive heart failure, stroke, and congenital heart defects — killed 931,108 Americans in 2001. The report also ranks disease death rates by state, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Puerto Rico had the lowest total death rate due to heart disease in 2000 with 253 deaths per 100,000 residents, and Mississippi had the highest with 439 deaths per 100,000. Minnesota experienced the biggest drop in heart-related death rates with a 39% lower rate in 2000 than in 1990. The District of Columbia was the only region where the heart disease death rate increased during that time period with a rise of 6.6%. Stroke Death Rates:Researchers say stroke alone is the nation’s third largest cause of death and one person in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 45 seconds. The report shows that stroke accounted for more than one of every 15 deaths in the U.S. in 2001. It’s also one of the leading causes of disability. South Carolina had the highest death rate from stroke in 2000 and New York had the lowest. The District of Columbia experienced the largest drop in stroke-related death rates from 1990-2000 with a 26.6% decline. Alaska had the biggest increase in stoke deaths during that time period with a 7% rise. Other major causes of death in 2001 were cancer (553,768 deaths), accidents (101,537), Alzheimer’s disease (53,852), and HIV (14,175). (Sources: American Heart Association’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics — 2004 Update. News release, American Heart Association, WEBMD, Jan 2004)