Cardiac disease is one of the leading causes of death for both men and women in the United States of America. Among the various types, coronary heart disease is the most common. As per heart disease statistics, almost fifty percent of cardiac deaths occur before the patient is taken to the hospital or before he/she gets emergency first aid. Despite so many researches and Government initiatives, it is still one of America’s largest health problems as well as one of the biggest burdens on the American economy. In the year 2009, it has been projected that heart disease will cost over three hundred billion dollars, including lost productivity, medications, and health care services.
Some Fast Facts And Statistics
Following are some fast facts and heart disease statistics that you must be aware of. It will help you understand that gravity of the situation and know why you must aggressively take up preventive measures to control risk factors –
• Every thirty-four seconds, a person dies from cardiac related disease in the United States of America. Every twenty seconds, a person gets a heart attack.
• Over 4.5 million people die because of heart disease every year in America.
• Other countries with the highest rates of heart disease include Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, and the Soviet Union. Countries with the lowest rates include Canada, Switzerland, Spain, France, and Japan.
• 33% of those with no prior symptoms of heart disease die from their first attack.
• In the United States of America, heart disease becomes the cause of over 6 million hospitalizations every year.
• When considering heart disease in women, men suffer cardiac problems about 10 years before women.
Early Recognition Of Heart Attack Symptoms Is Critical
The effectiveness of the treatment depends upon how early the symptoms are recognized. Timely access to emergency cardiac care and survival is possible only when immediate action is taken by calling emergency services. It has been found through the last year’s survey that over ninety percent people come to know that they are suffering from cardiac problem only when they suffer from chest pain, heart attack, or stroke. But, only twenty-five percent of them correctly recognized the early symptoms of heart disease and called 911 for emergency help.
People generally try to track the presence of heart disease symptoms by checking their cholesterol levels. But, unfortunately, over fifty percent of people who die of heart disease have normal cholesterol level. So, it is important for you to take care of all risk factors rather than concentrating on just one of the primary factors. In fact, with twenty-first century technology, you should also keep track of the levels of lipoprotein, LDL (bad cholesterol), fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, and so forth.
With all the above heart disease statistics, one thing is quite clear. Cardiac disease is a silent but very deadly disease. For the last one hundred years, it has been the number one killer in the United States, every year.