One-Third of Americans Die of Heart Disease: Report

Dec. 29, 2006 — -- It should come as no surprise that nearly every one of us knows someone who died of heart disease; it remains the No. 1 killer in the United States, according to a year-end update on heart disease and stroke statistics from the American Heart Association.

In fact, cardiovascular disease accounted for more than one-third of all deaths in the United States in 2004, according to the update.

"We are seeing a decline in mortality in heart disease. But it is still the No. 1 killer," said Dr. Wayne Rosamond, professor of epidemiology at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and chair of the statistics committee of the American Heart Association.

Rosamond said the update combines findings from a number of reliable sources to give people information on heart disease and stroke, treatments for these conditions, overall quality of care and prevention.

In addition to overall death rates, the update also found that when it comes to heart disease, regional differences exist. For example, Minnesota had the lowest overall total of heart deaths, while Mississippi had the highest.

If one looks at deaths specifically related to the clogging of heart vessels -- otherwise known as coronary artery disease -- Hawaii had the lowest death rate, whereas Oklahoma had the highest.

The update also found that there has been a large increase in heart procedures over the past few years.

Compared to other parts of the country, the South had twice as many bypass surgeries, open-heart surgeries, pacemaker implants and angioplasties -- procedures designed to open up clogged heart vessels.

For patients with heart disease, it may be reassuring to know that the patient care delivered at the nation's hospitals is of high quality, according to the update.

Rosamond said there is evidence that efforts are being made by the American Heart Association and other agencies to help health care professionals keep track of the quality of care they provide.