Heart disease prevalence by age in the U.S. 1997-2019
Heart disease
Heart disease can include many disorders of the heart and blood vessels such as cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, and heart failure. Coronary heart disease (CHD), another type, is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Coronary heart disease occurs when the small blood vessels that carry blood and oxygen to the heart begin to narrow due to a buildup of plaque in the arteries. This reduces or can even stop blood flow to the heart. Heart disease was the leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020, with a rate of 168 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.