Heart Disease
Included in this category are: hypertension (high
blood pressure), coronary heart disease (decreased blood flow in the heart muscle,
possibly leading to heart attack), rheumatic heart disease (heart valve damage from
infection) and congestive heart failure (end-stage symptoms of deteriorated heart
function).
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In 2001, there were approximately
204,000 individuals with heart disease in Wisconsin.
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Most individuals with cardiovascular
disease (CVD) are over the age of 60, and the incidence increases with age.
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More men than women have CVD and heart attacks, though heart attacks are more likely to
be fatal for women.
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There is a greater prevalence of high blood pressure and heart attacks among
African-Americans.
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CVD is the number one cause of death in Wisconsin:
about 18,000 deaths in 2001—most of them occurring in individuals over the age of 65.
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If all CVD were eliminated—through medication, dietary changes, exercise and not
smoking—individual life expectancy would increase nearly ten years.
For further information, visit the website of the American
Heart Association (exit DHS).
Last Revised: July 12, 2010
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