Heart disease is America’s deadliest epidemic, kills more people than cancer and accidents combined

New Delhi: Heart disease continues to reign as the leading cause of death in the United States, surpassing fatalities from all cancers and accidents combined, according to the 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics report by the American Heart Association (AHA).

Published in the AHA’s journal Circulation, the report highlights a grim reality—941,652 Americans lost their lives to heart-related conditions in 2022, a rise of over 10,000 deaths from the previous year. While the age-adjusted mortality rate showed a slight decline, experts warn that the overall burden of cardiovascular disease remains alarmingly high.

"Someone dies of heart disease every 34 seconds in the U.S., and a total of 2,500 people die from it every single day," said Dr. Keith Churchwell, volunteer president of the AHA.

The Weight of Risk: Obesity, Diabetes, and High Blood Pressure
The report sheds light on the major contributors fueling this epidemic: obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.

Over 72per cent of U.S. adults now have an unhealthy weight (BMI ≥ 25), with nearly 42per cent meeting the criteria for obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

More than half (57per cent) of U.S. adults have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, a condition that significantly raises the risk of heart complications.

If trends continue, hypertension and obesity will each affect over 180 million Americans by 2050, while diabetes cases are projected to soar past 80 million.

"Excess weight is now responsible for nearly 500,000 deaths per year," said Dr. Latha Palaniappan, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University. "It has even surpassed smoking as the greatest lifestyle-related health threat."

Declining Cholesterol Levels

Despite the bleak statistics, the report does offer one silver lining: cholesterol levels are improving. Experts credit this to better diets, lifestyle choices, and advances in medication that help manage cholesterol more effectively.

"We are seeing improvements in hyperlipidemia and smoking rates, but we must now intensify our focus on combating obesity, diabetes, and hypertension," said Serwer.

With cardiovascular-related healthcare costs projected to rise by 300per cent in the coming decades, experts stress the urgency of intervention.

"We need to stop these risk factors in their tracks and prioritize preventive measures," Churchwell urged. "This means aggressive efforts in treating high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes, just as we did with smoking and cholesterol management."

Heart disease may be the No. 1 killer, but experts agree that it is largely preventable.