Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to several types of disease that involve the heart and blood vessels. CVD includes coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, heart failure and other conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels.

Heart Disease is a term that refers to several types of heart conditions which include CHD, valves in the heart, and congestive heart failure. The most common type of heart disease is CHD. CHD occurs when a substance called plaque builds up that narrows the arteries in the heart. A heart attack occurs when an artery becomes completely blocked, resulting in a lack of blood flow to the heart. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States and in New York State. To learn more about heart disease and what you can do to reduce your risk, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A stroke, also referred to as a brain attack, occurs when blood supply to the brain is blocked or a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Stroke is the fourth and fifth leading cause of death in New York State and the U.S., respectively, and a cause of significant disability. To learn more about strokes and what you can do to reduce your risk for a stroke, visit the American Stroke Association. To learn what New York State is doing to prevent strokes and improve care for New Yorkers who have had a stroke, visit the NYS Coverdell Stroke Quality Improvement and Registry Program.

Heart Disease in the United States

  • About 695,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that's 1 in every 5 deaths.
  • Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of heart disease, killing approximately 375,476 people annually.
  • Every year about 805,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 605,000 are a first heart attack and 200,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack.
  • To learn more about heart disease and its impact in the United States, visit CDC's Heart Disease Facts.

Cardiovascular Disease in New York State

  • CVD accounted for 32% of all deaths statewide in 2020 (BRFSS 2022).
  • An estimated 7.3% of adults in New York State reported they have had a heart attack, angina/coronary heart disease, or stroke in 2020.
  • An estimated 18.9% of New Yorkers aged 65 and older reported having some type of CVD in 2020
  • To access more data on heart disease and stroke in New York State, visit the Cardiovascular Disease Data and Statistics page.

Stroke Statistics in the United States

  • Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke.
  • Stroke kills almost 159,000 Americans each year.

Stroke Statistics in New York State