America's Health Rankings, United Health Foundation Logo

Cardiovascular Diseases - Women in Iowa
search
Iowa
search

Explore national- and state-level data for hundreds of health, environmental and socioeconomic measures, including background information about each measure. Use features on this page to find measures; view subpopulations, trends and rankings; and download and share content.

Iowa Value:

1.6%

Percentage of women ages 18-44 who reported being told by a health professional that they had angina or coronary heart disease, a heart attack or myocardial infarction, or a stroke

Iowa Rank:

8

Cardiovascular Diseases - Women in depth:

Additional Measures:

Explore Population Data:

Cardiovascular Diseases - Women by State

Percentage of women ages 18-44 who reported being told by a health professional that they had angina or coronary heart disease, a heart attack or myocardial infarction, or a stroke

Cardiovascular Diseases - Women

11.0%
61.5%
81.6%
81.6%
81.6%
111.7%
111.7%
111.7%
111.7%
111.7%
191.9%
232.1%
232.1%
232.1%
262.2%
262.2%
302.3%
322.4%
332.5%
342.6%
342.6%
362.7%
372.8%
413.3%
413.3%
433.4%
433.4%
Data Unavailable
[2] Results are suppressed due to inadequate sample size and/or to protect identity
Source:
  • CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2020-2021

Cardiovascular Diseases - Women Trends

Percentage of women ages 18-44 who reported being told by a health professional that they had angina or coronary heart disease, a heart attack or myocardial infarction, or a stroke

Compare States
plus

About Cardiovascular Diseases - Women

US Value: 2.0%

Top State(s): Hawaii: 1.0%

Bottom State(s): Arkansas, Oklahoma: 3.4%

Definition: Percentage of women ages 18-44 who reported being told by a health professional that they had angina or coronary heart disease, a heart attack or myocardial infarction, or a stroke

Data Source and Years(s): CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2020-2021

Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.

Cardiovascular disease refers to several heart conditions, including heart disease, heart attack and stroke, often resulting from plaque build-up in artery walls. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for killing 1 in 5 women. A significant proportion of pregnancy-related deaths are associated with cardiovascular conditions. Multiple studies have found that women with a history of certain pregnancy complications are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

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 a family history of heart disease or stroke. 

In 2017-2018, the total costs of cardiovascular disease among women, including health care costs and lost productivity, exceeded $138 billion.

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

  • Women ages 35-44 compared with younger women ages 18-34. 
  • 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 3 times that of women with an income of $75,000 or more.
  • American Indian/Alaska Native women compared with Asian women, who have the lowest prevalence. Black women also have a high prevalence. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for Black and white women, and the second-leading cause of death for women of all other races and ethnicities.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and managing risk factors can help prevent and treat 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. The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of heart attacks and strokes may be prevented by addressing risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and physical inactivity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 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 measure their own heart health online using Life’s Essential 8, a tool published by the American Heart Association.

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

Additionally, the Million Hearts 2027 initiative is a national effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the next 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. 2007. “Explaining the Decrease in U.S. Deaths from Coronary Disease, 1980–2000.” New England Journal of Medicine 356 (23): 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. 2019. “Cardiovascular Disease-Related Morbidity and Mortality in Women With a History of Pregnancy Complications.” Circulation 139 (8): 1069–79. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.036748.

Tsao, Connie W., Aaron W. Aday, Zaid I. Almarzooq, Alvaro Alonso, Andrea Z. Beaton, Marcio S. Bittencourt, Amelia K. Boehme, et al. 2022. “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2022 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association.” Circulation 145 (8). https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052.

Current Reports

America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.

We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.