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Cardiovascular Disease

person gripping chest
Heart disease and stroke can result in poor quality of life, disability, and death.1

1. Heart Disease and Stroke. Healthy People 2030. 12/1/23.

Why It's Important

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and stroke is the fifth leading cause. Both diseases are common but can often be prevented by controlling risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Additionally, ensuring that people who experience a cardiovascular emergency receive timely recommended treatment can reduce their risk for long-term disability and death.1

1. Heart Disease and Stroke. Healthy People 2030. 12/1/23.

What's Known

The term "heart disease" refers to several types of heart conditions. Coronary heart disease is the most common type. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups. It accounts for 1 in every 5 deaths in the U.S. and New Jersey.2

A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when something blocks the blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. About 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes, in which blood flow to the brain is blocked. Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.3

2. Heart Disease Facts. CDC. 10/24/24.
3. Stroke Facts. CDC. 10/24/24.

Who's at Risk

High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol use are key risk factors for heart disease and stroke.4,5

Low-income populations, some racial and ethnic groups, and people who live in certain geographic regions are more likely to have a stroke.6 The risk of having a first stroke is nearly twice as high for non-Hispanic Black adults as for White adults.5

4. About Heart Disease. CDC. 5/15/24.
5. Stroke Facts. CDC. 10/24/24.
6. Reduce stroke deaths. Healthy People 2030. 11/18/24.

How To Reduce Risk

To reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke:7,8
  • Choose healthy food and drinks
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Get regular physical activity
  • Avoid smoking
  • Limit alcohol consumption
  • Control medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes
Knowing stroke signs and symptoms can also help reduce death and disability related to stroke.9

7. Preventing Heart Disease. CDC. 5/15/24.
8. Preventing Stroke. CDC. 5/15/24.
9. Signs and Symptoms of Stroke. CDC. 10/24/24.

How It's Tracked

  • Screening and Prevalence: The New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (NJBRFS) monitors the use of preventive screening for cardiovascular disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cigarette smoking, and physical activity. NJBRFS also tracks the prevalence of coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke.
  • Inpatient Hospitalization and Emergency Department Visits: The NJ Hospital Discharge Data Collection System receives diagnosis information about all inpatient hospitalizations and emergency department visits from NJ hospitals.
  • Mortality: Death certificates are a fundamental source of demographic, geographic, and cause-of-death information.

Other Data and Information Resources

New Jersey Department of Health

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

CDC Heart Disease and Stroke Map Widget