Cardiovascular Disease Remains Top Killer

Cardiovascular disease death rates are declining, but it still remains the top cause of death in the United States, a report found.

The American Heart Association’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics — 2008 Update synthesizes data from many sources on cardiovascular diseases, risk factors, treatments, quality of care and costs.

Cardiovascular disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States since 1900 except during the 1918 flu epidemic. However in 2004 — the most recent year available — the age-adjusted cardiovascular disease death rate per 100,000 persons was 288.0, compared to 307.7 in 2003.

In 2004, cardiovascular disease was listed as the underlying cause of death in 869,724 deaths, compared to 911,163 deaths in 2003. Cancer was the second-leading cause of death, responsible for 553,888 lives lost, while stroke resulted in 150,074 deaths, followed by 112,012 accidents.

Coronary heart disease, even when considered separately from other cardiovascular diseases, was still by far the nation’s single leading cause of death — 451,326.

These statistics make it clear that cardiovascular disease remains, by far, our greatest public health challenge, Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, chair of the association’s statistics committee, which is responsible for the report.