February Wellness Spotlight
Listen To Your Heart

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. In February’s wellness spotlight, we discuss heart health statistics, types of heart disease, causes, and symptoms, and risk factors for heart disease.
Heart Disease Fast Facts
- One person dies every 34 seconds in the United States from heart disease
- In 2020, 1 in 5 deaths were attributable to heart disease. This is equivalent to 697,000 deaths in 2020.
- Heart disease costs the United States approximately $229 billion each year. This includes heath care services, medicines, and lost productivity due to death.
- Each year, approximately 805,000 people in the United States have a heart attack
- 605,000 of these are a first heart attack
- 200,000 happen to people who have already had a heart attack
- About 1 in 5 heart attacks are silent, meaning the damage is done but the person is not aware of it
Types of Heart Disease & Symptoms
Disease |
What it is |
Causes |
Symptoms |
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) |
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Heart Arrhythmias |
An irregular beating pattern of the heart | Often develop from other heart problems but can also happen on its own |
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Heart Failure |
When the heart does not pump blood as well as it should to meet the body’s needs |
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Heart Valve Disease |
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Pericardial Disease |
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Cardiomyopathy (Heart Muscle Disease) |
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Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) |
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Always call 911 if you think you might be having a heart attack. Heart disease is easier to treat when detected early.
Risk Factors
- High blood pressure
- High low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Smoking and secondhand smoke exposure
- Obesity
- Unhealthy diet
- Physical inactivity
Resources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. About Multiple Cause of Death, 1999–2020. CDC WONDER Online Database website. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2022. Accessed February 21, 2022.
- Beckerman, J. (2021, June 14). Heart Disease: Types, Causes, and Symptoms. Accessed December 28, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-disease-types-causes-symptoms