Heart Disease Deaths Decline in US, Ending Five-Year Pandemic Spike
For the first time in five years, the number of Americans dying from heart disease and stroke has fallen, according to new national data that researchers say reflects a gradual recovery from the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, despite this encouraging improvement, heart disease remains the country's leading cause of death, with stroke climbing to fourth place among fatal conditions.
Latest Statistics Reveal Mixed Picture
The findings come from the American Heart Association's 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update, which reports that together these two cardiovascular conditions accounted for more than a quarter of all U.S. deaths in 2023, the most recent year with complete data available. The comprehensive report found that cardiovascular deaths declined from 941,652 in 2022 to 915,973 in 2023, marking a significant shift after years of concerning increases.
Deaths due to coronary heart disease – the most common form of cardiovascular disease – fell to 349,470 in 2023, down from 371,506 the year before. Meanwhile, stroke deaths decreased to 162,639, compared with 165,393 in 2022. This decline in heart disease deaths has brought to an end a five-year-long spike in higher mortality rates that researchers directly linked to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the various effects the disease and responses to it wrought on American public health.
Historical Context and Current Challenges
Dr. Stacey E. Rosen, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, commented on the findings, stating: "It's encouraging to see that total deaths from heart disease and stroke declined. The past five years appear to have been an anomaly given the huge impact the pandemic had on all health during that time." She added a crucial caveat: "The fact remains that heart disease and stroke continue to take the lives of too many of our loved ones each and every day. Together, they still kill more people than the number 2 and number 3 causes of death which include all types of cancer and accidents combined."
The historical perspective reveals significant progress over decades. In 1970, 41 percent of all U.S. deaths were attributed to heart problems, but since that peak, deaths from heart attacks have dropped by almost 90 percent. As a result, overall deaths due to heart issues now account for 22 percent of all deaths, representing substantial improvement while still constituting a major public health challenge.
Expert Analysis and Risk Factors
Professor Ziad Mallat, a cardiovascular medicine expert at the University of Cambridge in the U.K., told The Independent that the results of the AHA's statistics update this year presented a "mixed" picture. While he acknowledged it was "encouraging to see a decline from previous years after the Covid-19 pandemic," he emphasized that "we have an ageing population and still a high prevalence of risk factors."
Professor Mallat also noted that the report shows concerning increases in rates of stroke death among certain age groups, highlighting that cardiovascular conditions remain a major factor in mortality because of persistent "high prevalence of risk factors." These include "high prevalence of cardiometabolic syndromes, including obesity, with risk of diabetes, persistent high prevalence of high blood pressure, and suboptimal control of LDL-cholesterol levels, and of course, an ageing population."
Prevention and Lifestyle Guidance
When asked what people can do to improve their heart health, Professor Mallat emphasized: "It's important to remember that heart attacks and strokes occur late in life, but they are shaped by a lifetime of exposure to risk factors." Citing the AHA's Life's Essential 8 healthy lifestyle guidance, he stated unequivocally that "lifestyle changes are essential" for cardiovascular health improvement.
The American Heart Association has highlighted that recent research suggests adopting their Life's Essential 8 guidance can help prevent heart disease and stroke while also contributing to better brain health. These eight measures provide a comprehensive framework for cardiovascular risk reduction through lifestyle modification and health monitoring.
Broader Public Health Implications
Dr. Latha P. Palaniappan, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University and contributor to the AHA report, provided additional context: "The good news is that, overall, fewer people are dying from any cause, and death rates are improving as life expectancy continues to rebound after the COVID-19 pandemic." However, she added a crucial qualification: "However, about half of all U.S. adults continue to have some form of cardiovascular disease. Those rates are still higher than they were before the pandemic and persistent increases in common conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity continue to drive the risk."
Speaking specifically about the adoption of Life's Essential 8 guidance, Professor Palaniappan noted: "There is a growing body of scientific evidence that shows following these eight measures can dramatically reduce the overall burden of cardiovascular disease." This underscores the importance of preventive healthcare strategies alongside medical treatment for existing conditions.
The data reveals a complex public health landscape where pandemic recovery has brought some relief from the spike in cardiovascular deaths, but underlying risk factors and demographic trends continue to present significant challenges for American heart health in the coming years.
