Heart disease, stroke deaths down, yet still kill more in U.S. than any other cause

Summary: Heart disease and stroke deaths have gone down recently, but they are still the biggest killers in the U.S. Together, they cause more deaths than all types of cancer and accidents combined. Even though the total number of deaths is dropping, doctors are worried because stroke deaths in young adults (ages 25 to 34) actually went up by 8.3%.

Experts say bad daily habits are to blame. Most Americans have poor diets, only 1 in 4 adults get enough exercise, and vaping is very popular among teens. Because of these habits, almost 90% of adults have signs of a condition called CKM syndrome, which is a mix of heart, kidney, and weight problems.

Your heart works incredibly hard—it pumps 2,000 gallons of blood every single day! The good news is that you can protect it. Doctors say that 80% of heart disease and stroke can be prevented simply by making lifestyle changes, like eating better, exercising, getting good sleep, and quitting smoking.

For more details, see American Heart Association at newsroom.heart.org/news/heart-disease-stroke-deaths-down-yet-still-kill-more-in-u-s-than-any-other-cause (opens in new tab)