After five years of increases likely tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, cardiovascular deaths in the U.S. declined in 2023, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics update, published Jan. 21 in Circulation.
The annual report tracks U.S. and global trends in heart disease, stroke and related risk factors.
Here are five key takeaways:
- Cardiovascular deaths declined for the first time since 2018: There were 915,973 total cardiovascular-related deaths in 2023, including heart disease, stroke, heart failure and hypertension, down from 941,652 in 2022. The age-adjusted death rate also fell, from 224.3 to 218.3 per 100,000 people. On average, someone died of cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds.
- Heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death: Heart disease accounted for 22% of U.S. deaths in 2023. Coronary heart disease alone caused 349,470 deaths, roughly two deaths every three minutes. Stroke, now the fourth-leading cause of death, was responsible for 162,639 deaths, surpassing COVID-19.
- Stroke deaths rose among youngest and oldest adults: While total stroke deaths declined slightly, crude death rates increased among adults ages 25-34 (up 8.3% from 2013 to 2023) and those over age 85 (up 18.2%). Stroke now causes one U.S. death every three minutes and 14 seconds.
- Chronic risk factors remain widespread: About 125.9 million U.S. adults, 47.3%, have high blood pressure. Nearly 29.5 million have diagnosed diabetes, and half of adults have obesity or severe obesity. Among youth ages 2 to 19, obesity rose from 25.4% to 28.1% in recent years. These conditions continue to drive cardiovascular mortality and are interlinked through a rising burden of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, now estimated to affect nearly 90% of U.S. adults.
- Prevention remains underutilized, despite strong evidence: Adherence to the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8” key lifestyle and health metrics, remains low. Only 25.3% of adults meet national physical activity guidelines and diet scores are the lowest among all eight measures. Among youth, e-cigarettes are now the most used tobacco product, with 18.1% of high school students reporting use. Just 43.5% of adults with Type 2 diabetes have their condition under control.
Despite the decline in cardiovascular deaths, heart disease and stroke still account for more than one-quarter of all U.S. deaths. With nearly 9 in 10 adults showing early signs of CKM syndrome, the AHA continues to emphasize prevention as the most effective path forward. According to the report, improving cardiovascular health, even by one point on the “Life’s Essential 8” scale, is linked to a 6% lower risk of dementia and a 74% reduction in cardiovascular events.
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