Heart disease is the leading cause of death for all people in the United States. Stroke is the third leading cause of death. Heart disease and stroke continue to be major causes of disability and significant contributors to the rising cost of health care costs in the United States.

About 12 million people in the US have coronary heart disease. Even though the death rates have declined since the1950’s heart disease is still the #1 killer.

Around 4 million people have cerebrovascular disease. A form of stroke; with about 600,000 strokes occur each year in the United States, resulting in about 158,000 deaths. Death rates for stroke are highest in the southeastern United States. But those rates have been declining for the past 30 years.

The decline has occurred mainly because of improvements in the detection and treatment of high blood pressure or sometimes known as hypertension.

High blood pressure is known as the “silent killer.” It does remain a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure. About 50 million adults in the United States have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is more common in older in older people.