Cardiovascular Diseases - Women in United States

United States

Cardiovascular diseases cover several heart conditions, including heart disease, heart attack and stroke, often resulting from plaque build-up in artery walls. Cardiovascular diseases have been the leading cause of death in the United States for the past 100 years and are responsible for killing 1 in 5 women. 

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, high levels of stress and family history of heart disease or stroke. Multiple studies have found that women with a history of certain pregnancy complications are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and a significant proportion of pregnancy-related deaths are associated with cardiovascular conditions.

In 2019-2020, the total direct and indirect costs of cardiovascular disease among women in the U.S. exceeded $161 billion. 

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases is higher among:

• Women ages 35-44 compared with younger women ages 18-34. 
• Black women than white women.
• Women with less than a college education compared with women with a college degree.
• Women with an annual household income less than $25,000, who have a prevalence more than three times that of women with an income of $75,000 or more.
• Women living in non-metropolitan areas compared with those in metropolitan areas. 
• Women who have difficulty with self-care than women without a disability.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating more fruits and vegetables, getting regular physical activity, abstaining from smoking and limiting use of alcohol can help prevent cardiovascular diseases. Between 1980 and 2000, the death rate from coronary heart disease decreased significantly; 47% of this decrease was due to medical interventions like coronary artery bypass and statin therapy. Another 44% of the decline was attributable to increases in physical activity, reductions in smoking prevalence and lowering of cholesterol and blood pressure throughout the population. To reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that women check their blood pressure regularly, as high blood pressure can increase the risk of heart disease and often presents with no symptoms. 

The CDC has developed the Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) program to reduce the risk of heart disease among low-income and underserved women by providing screening and other necessary services. Individuals can learn more about health behaviors and factors involved in maintaining good cardiovascular health and assess their heart health using the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 checklist. 

Healthy People 2030 has several objectives related to cardiac health, including:

• Improving cardiovascular health among adults.
• Reducing coronary heart disease deaths.
• Reducing stroke deaths.
• Increasing control of blood pressure in adults.
• Increasing cholesterol treatment in adults.

Additionally, the Million Hearts 2027 initiative is a national effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes within five years by promoting community and clinical prevention programs. 

Ford, Earl S., Umed A. Ajani, Janet B. Croft, Julia A. Critchley, Darwin R. Labarthe, Thomas E. Kottke, Wayne H. Giles, and Simon Capewell. “Explaining the Decrease in U.S. Deaths from Coronary Disease, 1980–2000.” New England Journal of Medicine 356, no. 23 (June 7, 2007): 2388–98. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa053935.

Grandi, Sonia M., Kristian B. Filion, Sarah Yoon, Henok T. Ayele, Carla M. Doyle, Jennifer A. Hutcheon, Graeme N. Smith, et al. “Cardiovascular Disease-Related Morbidity and Mortality in Women With a History of Pregnancy Complications.” Circulation 139, no. 8 (February 19, 2019): 1069–79. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.036748.

Martin, Seth S., Aaron W. Aday, Zaid I. Almarzooq, Cheryl A. M. Anderson, Pankaj Arora, Christy L. Avery, Carissa M. Baker-Smith, et al. “2024 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of US and Global Data From the American Heart Association.” Circulation 149, no. 8 (February 20, 2024). https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001209.