Environmental Public Health Tracking: Heart Disease and Stroke Data

Red with green trim emergency sign outside a hospital

The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type of heart disease in the U.S. is coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects the blood flow to the heart. Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack.

A heart attack, also called myocardial infarction (MI), is a brief and severe health event in which the heart doesn't get enough oxygen. This decrease in oxygen is caused by blocked blood flow to the heart muscle.

A stroke happens when a blood vessel carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, and brain cells die.

Explore definitions and explanations of terminology found on this webpage, like age-adjusted rate and confidence intervals.

Click the "About Data" button in the upper right corner of each map to see CDC's (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) data details.

Frequently asked questions

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Last revised May 7, 2025