The number of people dying from heart disease and stroke in the United States has gone down after five years of increases, which were likely made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.
But heart disease and stroke still kill more Americans than any other cause. Together, they made up more than 25% of all deaths in the U.S. in 2023.
According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics report, heart disease was responsible for 22% of all U.S. deaths and stroke caused 5.3%. Stroke is now the fourth leading cause of death, moving ahead of COVID-19, which fell to the tenth spot. These statistics were published in the journal Circulation.
The total number of deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD)—which includes heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and heart failure—dropped to 915,973 in 2023, down from 941,652 in 2022. The death rate also improved slightly when adjusted for age. This means people were less likely to die from these diseases, regardless of their age group.
Coronary heart disease, which often leads to heart attacks, caused 349,470 deaths in 2023, a drop from the previous year. Stroke deaths also declined, from 165,393 in 2022 to 162,639 in 2023. On average, someone died of CVD every 34 seconds, heart disease every 3 minutes, and stroke every 3 minutes and 14 seconds in 2023.
Although these trends are encouraging, health experts say that heart disease and stroke still cause more deaths than all cancers and accidents combined. Also, while overall stroke deaths declined, some age groups saw worrying increases. From 2013 to 2023, stroke deaths rose by 8.3% among people aged 25–34 and by 18.2% among people over 85.
While more people are living longer and death rates are improving, the number of Americans with risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity is still high. From 2021 to 2023, nearly half of all U.S. adults had high blood pressure.
About 29.5 million adults had diabetes. Nearly 50% were obese or severely obese. The number of obese children and teens also rose, from 25.4% to 28.1%.
Because of how these conditions are linked, the American Heart Association included a new chapter in this year’s report about cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome.
This syndrome connects heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity. The report shows that nearly 90% of U.S. adults have at least one CKM risk factor, and over 80% of young and middle-aged adults already show early signs.
Despite the challenges, there is hope. The American Heart Association encourages everyone to follow “Life’s Essential 8″—a set of eight habits that support better heart and brain health.
These include eating better, staying active, quitting tobacco, getting enough sleep, managing weight, controlling cholesterol, managing blood sugar, and keeping blood pressure in check.
Research shows that people who score well on these eight measures can reduce their risk of heart disease by 74%. They also have better brain health and a lower risk of dementia. For example, a one-point improvement in heart health was linked to a 6% lower chance of developing dementia.
Unfortunately, many Americans are not following these guidelines. Diet scores remain low. Only 1 in 4 adults gets enough physical activity, and only 1 in 5 children meets daily movement goals. Cigarette smoking has decreased, but e-cigarette use is now high among teens. Only 43.5% of people with Type 2 diabetes have their condition under control.
Still, the experts say that up to 80% of heart disease and stroke can be prevented with healthy lifestyle changes. Dr. Stacey Rosen of the American Heart Association said, “These statistics aren’t just numbers. They represent real lives. With effort, we can prevent many of these deaths.”
The Association has released this annual update since 1927 to help people understand the impact of heart and brain diseases. It also uses the information to shape public health campaigns and support scientific research.
Dr. Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, said, “Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death in the world. This report helps guide our work in saving lives and improving health for people everywhere.”
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease, and herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about how espresso coffee affects your cholesterol level, and results showing Vitamin K2 could help reduce heart disease risk.
The study is published in Circulation.
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