25 Heart Attack Statistics You Must Be Aware of in 2024

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are heart and blood vessel conditions that remain the leading cause of premature death. To emphasize, heart attack statistics show that four out of five deaths related to CVD are due to heart attacks and strokes. In general, people at risk of developing CVD often suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.

Identifying those at the highest risk of developing one of these cardiovascular diseases and starting appropriate treatment can prevent further complications or even death. Here, we have a collection of the most critical facts and stats related to heart attacks.

Critical Heart Attack Statistics for 2024

Must-Know Heart Attack Facts and Statistics

Did you know that some heart attacks are more dangerous than others? We have the answer for you. We should also remember that people’s chances of dying from a heart attack have doubled with the ongoing pandemic. Read on to discover why.

1. One in five heart attacks is silent. 

(CDC)

As strange as it may sound, heart attack stats verify that approximately one in five heart attacks is silent. That being the case, a person isn’t aware of the damage done. That’s why knowing the signs, like neck pain, chest pain, heartburn, nausea, shortness of breath, or indigestion, is extremely important. Since being cautious is of great essence, call 911 even if you don’t know for sure whether you are having a heart attack. Additionally, a good medical alert system might come in handy so that you can get emergency help.

2. With the coronavirus pandemic, people’s chances of dying from heart attacks have doubled. 

(Healthline)

The coronavirus pandemic has made its presence felt, leaving behind catastrophic consequences. One of them is the climb of heart attack incidence. How can that be, one might wonder. That’s because people are scared and stay behind closed doors, not wanting to leave their homes. In fact, they would do anything to avoid going to the hospital. According to some researchers, people are more likely to die from a heart attack during the pandemic. That is because they won’t go to the hospital after experiencing the symptoms.

3. Widowmaker heart attack survival statistics point to a 12% survival rate.

(Susquehanna Health)

One of the most horrifying heart attacks is the widowmaker. For those of you who don’t know what that is—it’s a heart attack caused by a blockage in the main artery, which comes down the front of the heart. Based on widowmaker heart attack statistics, if one experiences this kind of heart attack outside of the hospital, their survival rate is only 12%.

4. The medical costs of coronary heart disease are predicted to be $1.1 trillion by 2035.

(CDC)

Doctor appointments, hospitalization, and overall treatment usually amount to quite a sum. All the CVD-related expenses cost the US around 219 billion each year. By 2035, the medical costs and productivity losses are expected to reach about $1.1 trillion.

Statistics of Heart Attacks in America

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Heart attacks happen more often than you think. Keep reading and find everything there is to know about heart attacks in America, given that we’re going into more detail in this section.

5. The top cause of death in 2020 in the US was heart disease. 

(USA Facts)

Heart attack deaths in 2020 were just as great in their number. Since February 2020, coronavirus has taken its toll. Actually, it ranked up to the top three causes of death in the US. Nevertheless, heart disease (including heart attacks) remains the leading cause of death in the country. It is then followed by cancer and COVID-19.

6. According to heart attack statistics in the US, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds.

(CDC)

While the development of heart disease takes years, a heart attack often seems to happen out of the blue. As one can tell, a heart attack is rather prevalent. Following that, we urge all our readers to read up about the warning signs and symptoms.

7. Every 36 seconds, a person dies from cardiovascular disease in the US.

(CDC)

Generally speaking, people in the US experience heart attacks frequently. After learning that there’s a heart attack every 40 seconds in the US, we offer you another critical piece of information. Namely, a person dies from cardiovascular disease every 36 seconds in the US, according to the heart attack mortality rate.

8. One in every four deaths in the US happens due to heart disease.

(CDC)

In the US, the leading cause of death for men and women is cardiovascular disease. To put things in perspective, one in every four deaths happens because of heart disease, the data on heart attack rates by country reveals. What’s more, every year, heart disease has a fatal outcome for 655,000 US citizens.

9. Annually, 805,000 people in the US have a heart attack. 

(CDC)

Believe it or not, every year, about 805,000 Americans have a heart attack. Furthermore, for 605,000 of them, that’s the first time, meaning 200,000 have already had it before. These numbers won’t come as a big surprise after discovering how many people are at risk of developing heart diseases.

Male vs. Female Heart Attack Statistics

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Interestingly enough, gender tends to define the risk of developing heart disease. What’s more, at a certain age, both men and women are more likely to have a heart attack. Let’s find out more.

10. Compared to men, women receive half the number of heart attack treatments.

(Science Daily)

Does having a heart attack shorten your life? Well, it might, especially for women. Specifically, about 15% of women who’ve experienced a heart attack received coronary revascularisation (where a stent is fitted), compared to 34% of men. Shockingly, only 16% of women received preventative treatment (including statins), opposed to 26% of their male counterparts.

11. Coronary heart disease affects 1 in 13 White men.

(CDC)

Namely, heart attack data discloses that around 7.7% of White men have coronary heart disease. That percentage is 7.1% for Black men or 1 in 14.  As for Hispanic men, about 1 in 17 (5.9%) have coronary heart disease.

12. The average age for having the first heart attack is 66 for men and 70 for women.

(Cleveland Clinic)

A significant difference lies in the age at which a heart attack occurs. Notably, for men, the average age for having a heart attack is 66. In contrast, for women, that age is 70. That is predominantly due to the estrogen protection against heart attacks until after menopause.

13. Female heart attack statistics by age show that 1 in 16 women over the age of 20 has coronary heart disease.

(CDC)

About 6.2% of all women over 20 have the most common type of heart disease—coronary heart disease, which is associated with a heart attack. To be more specific, that’s 6.1% of White women, 6.5% of Black women, and 6% of Hispanic women. As for Asian women, 1 in 30 (or 3.2%) of women have coronary heart disease.

Heart Attack Stats on Risk Factors

While certain risks are unavoidable, one could still take some preventative measures. Now, let’s read on to find out what is still in our power and how to take better care of one’s heart health.

14. About 50% of Americans have at least one risk factor for heart disease.

(CDC)

Heart attack facts remark that there are top three factors for heart disease. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Astoundingly, about half of Americans have at least one of those factors.

Some other behaviors and conditions that could increase the risk are obesity, unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity, and diabetes. Following this, one could choose to resort to weight loss pills or appetite suppressants, if need be.

15. Smoking is responsible for 20% of CVD-related deaths, smoking and heart attack statistics show.

(CDC) (FDA)

Over 35 million US citizens are smokers, and thousands of young people start smoking every day. As a matter of fact, the American Heart Association reveals that 800,000 people in the US die from cardiovascular diseases every year, and smoking accounts for 20% of those deaths.

16. High blood pressure causes 47% of coronary heart diseases. 

(Up to Date) (CDC)

As its other name, “silent killer,” indicates, high blood pressure rarely shows any symptoms. However, if not controlled, it can be harmful and even accelerate the heart attack frequency. Measuring it is the only way to know whether you have it. One should also aim to make some lifestyle changes or take some medicine to lower hypertension and reduce the risk of a heart attack.

17. High total cholesterol doubles the risk of heart disease.

(BCBSNM)

People with high total cholesterol levels have approximately twice the risk of heart disease. Thus, there’s an increased heart attack possibility percentage. That’s why one should try their best to manage cholesterol levels—limit alcohol intake, exercise for at least 30 minutes, avoid saturated fat, and quit smoking.

18. Diabetes makes adults twice more prone to a heart attack.

(NIH)

Heart attack statistics prove that adults with diabetes are twice more prone to a heart attack. What’s more, people with diabetes are more likely to develop heart disease at a younger age. Diabetes is quite dangerous since high blood glucose can damage the nerves that control your blood vessels and heart muscles.

19. To prevent heart attacks, women shouldn’t have more than one alcoholic drink a day. 

(CDC)

Alcohol raises blood pressure and triglyceride levels, increasing the risk of a heart attack. Doctors recommend women to drink no more than a glass of alcohol. As for men, the maximum number of alcoholic drinks should be two.

Heart Attack Death Statistics

As scary as it sounds, people can die of heart attacks even without warnings. Surprisingly, many people are still not aware of the gravity of the situation. Another critical point is that time is of the essence when it comes to heart attacks, so make sure you get help as quickly as possible.

20. Around 12% of people who have a heart attack die from it. 

(Healthline)

An actual heart attack denotes the end of a process that has already been going on for several hours. The latest data on heart attack death rate uncovers that 12% of people who have a heart attack die from it. So that means that you have a much greater chance to survive a heart attack than die from it, which is, at last, some reassuring information.

21. Heart disease is the primary cause of a quarter of deaths in men.

(CDC)

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men in the US, with heart attack statistics showing it kills more than 300,000 annually. Heart disease is attributed to many things, among them—genetics, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, and other lifestyle choices.

22. 26% of women die within a year of a heart attack. 

(Healthline)

Although women are more likely to have a heart attack in the later stages of their lives, they die from it more frequently, as shown by heart attack statistics. For instance, the American Heart Association broke the news that 26% of women die within a year of a heart attack, opposed to 19% of men. Furthermore, by five years after a heart attack, 50% of women die, have a stroke, or develop heart failure, whereas that’s the case for 36% of men.

23. Only 56% of women recognize that heart disease is their number one killer.

(CDC)

As mentioned earlier, the heart attack prevalence in women is high. A point often overlooked is that even though awareness has increased over the past decades, only 56% of women recognize that heart disease is the most serious health threat.

24. People who have suffered heart failure live ten years less than those who haven’t. 

(Heart)

When it comes to life expectancy after a heart attack, statistics reveal something of concern. On average, people who have had heart failure lose almost ten years of life, in comparison to those who haven’t. What’s more, people might lose as many as 16 years of life, on average, following a heart attack.

25. 7% of the hospital visits related to snow shoveling are due to heart problems, including heart attacks. 

(Harvard Medical School) (Gilman & Bedigian)

In the US, around 100 men die during snow shoveling or after it. According to Cleveland Clinic, every year, over 11,000 people visit the hospital with injuries due to snow shoveling. To be more specific, shoveling snow heart attack statistics report that 7% of those people experience cardiac problems, and a substantial part of them—a heart attack.

Conclusion

Heart attacks are life-threatening and ask for immediate medical attention. Then again, prevention is always the best way to go about it. By arming ourselves with these cited, research-based facts and statistics, we’re better prepared to recognize the signs and risk factors and take the right preventative measures. You could also go with one of the best life insurance companies for additional peace of mind.

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About the Author

Lina Velikova, MD, PhD

Lina’s journey into the world of medicine started in 2004. After her graduation, she became motivated to become an immunologist. She has extensive experience as a scientist and author of scientific papers. Her areas of expertise include autoimmune diseases, allergology, internal medicine, transplantation medicine, immunotherapy, and pediatric immunology. Later, Lina was inspired to become a medical writer for our site. Here, she finds a great place to unfold her potential in writing about socially significant conditions.

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