2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics

TL;DR:

• New AHA update released January 21, 2026.
• U.S. cardiovascular deaths fell in 2023 after five years of increases.
• Stroke is now the No. 4 U.S. cause of death, ahead of COVID-19.
• CKM syndrome affects most adults, raising lifetime heart risk.
• Globally, CVD still kills about 19.8 million people a year.

The American Heart Association released its 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics on January 21, 2026. The report compiles the newest national and global data on cardiovascular disease, stroke, risk factors, and costs, with 2023 as the latest U.S. mortality year. According to the AHA, total U.S. cardiovascular deaths declined in 2023, breaking a five year climb tied in part to the pandemic. The AHA also notes stroke rose to the No. 4 cause of death in the United States, while COVID-19 fell to No. 10.

The 2026 package includes a Circulation journal article, a newsroom brief, and practical takeaways. These sources align on the large scale picture, and they stress earlier prevention, with special focus on connected risks across heart, kidney, and metabolism.

By the numbers, United States

The AHA reports 915,973 total cardiovascular deaths in 2023. The age adjusted rate fell to 218.3 per 100,000 people, down from 224.3 in 2022, which suggests recovery from pandemic era setbacks. On average, one person in the U.S. died from cardiovascular causes every 34 seconds in 2023, the AHA says.

Within the top causes of death, heart disease remains No. 1. Stroke moved up to No. 4 in 2023, passing COVID-19, which dropped to No. 10. This reshuffle matters for screening and treatment priorities, since stroke prevention often receives less attention than coronary disease in clinical visits.

The AHA’s 2026 materials also highlight cardiovascular kidney metabolic, or CKM, syndrome. CKM links obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, and heart disease into a single risk cluster. AHA briefings say CKM affects a large majority of adults and is common even in younger adults. The message is simple, treat these risks as one connected condition, not as isolated problems.

The global context

Cardiovascular disease remains the world’s leading killer. The World Health Organization estimates 19.8 million CVD deaths in 2022, about 32 percent of global deaths. Most of these deaths occur in low and middle income countries, and most are due to heart attack and stroke. That scale has not shifted much, even as some regions post gains.

Recent burden studies project total cardiovascular deaths could keep rising in absolute numbers through mid century because of population growth and aging, even if age adjusted rates improve. That means countries can lower risk through better care and prevention, yet still see more total deaths unless they also expand coverage and cut risk exposure.

What these trends mean for people

The U.S. decline in 2023 is good news. It points to progress in care, vaccination, and risk control after the pandemic’s peak shocks. Stroke’s rise to No. 4, however, is a warning. Stroke usually reflects years of uncontrolled blood pressure, diabetes, or atrial fibrillation. It also carries high disability and cost. The CKM framing is another warning. When high blood pressure, high glucose, kidney strain, and extra weight stack together, risk rises fast and early.

For global readers, the headline is steady. CVD is still the largest cause of death. Gains depend on prevention at scale, affordable hypertension treatment, tobacco control, safer air, and better access to statins and glucose lowering drugs where indicated.

Quick reference table

Key drivers to watch

Hypertension

High blood pressure remains the largest modifiable driver of stroke and heart disease events. Screening is cheap, control is often possible with generic medicines, and home monitors are now widely available. Yet control rates lag in many countries.

Lipids

Elevated LDL cholesterol drives atherosclerosis. Statins and combination therapy cut risk and deaths. Access, adherence, and guideline use vary by region. For secondary prevention, high intensity statins remain first line unless not tolerated.

Diabetes and CKM

Hyperglycemia accelerates vascular damage and kidney disease. The CKM label supports earlier, combined treatment, using lifestyle changes plus drugs with proven cardiovascular benefit when indicated.

Obesity and physical inactivity

Body weight trends have worsened for children in several countries. Adult obesity shows mixed signals. Movement, diet quality, and sleep are core levers under the AHA’s Life’s Essential 8 framework.

Atrial fibrillation

AF drives ischemic stroke risk, especially in older adults. Detection using wearables and opportunistic pulse checks can expand treatment with anticoagulants where appropriate.

Environment and social factors

Air pollution, food access, and care gaps raise risk. Regions that reduced fine particle pollution report fewer cardiovascular deaths. Policy choices shape these risks.

What happens next

Expect more detailed 2023 and 2024 breakdowns by race, ethnicity, sex, and county level in follow on tables from the AHA. Look for updates on CKM screening tools in primary care. Several countries will publish new hypertension control plans tied to essential medicines lists. Global partners will ramp projects to expand blood pressure treatment coverage and improve statin access.

A simple checklist to cut risk

Use this at your next clinic visit or for a self audit.

• Know your numbers. Blood pressure, LDL, A1C or fasting glucose, waist size.
• Take meds as prescribed. Ask if a statin or SGLT2 or GLP 1 drug fits your risk.
• Move most days. Aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate activity.
• Eat a simple pattern. More plants, beans, fish, nuts, fewer ultra processed foods.
• Do not smoke or vape. Ask about proven quit aids.
• Sleep 7 to 9 hours. Treat sleep apnea if suspected.
• Keep vaccinations current. Respiratory infections trigger heart events.

Why it matters

Small changes at the person and policy level move large numbers. The 2026 data show U.S. deaths easing, which hints at better prevention and care. The same tools can help other regions. Blood pressure control, tobacco control, cleaner air, and affordable essential drugs save many lives at low cost. The scale is global, and the benefits are fast when programs reach the people who need them.

Methods and attribution

This article draws on the AHA’s 2026 statistical update, companion newsroom coverage, and WHO global figures. The AHA sources provide the U.S. 2023 mortality counts, rates, CKM framing, and the shift in leading causes. The WHO source provides the latest global totals.

Sources:

• American Heart Association, “Heart disease, stroke deaths down, yet still kill more in U.S. than any other cause,” https://newsroom.heart.org/news/heart-disease-stroke-deaths-down-yet-still-kill-more-in-u-s-than-any-other-cause, published January 21, 2026.
• American Heart Association Professional Education, “2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics,” https://professional.heart.org/en/science-news/2026-heart-disease-and-stroke-statistics, accessed January 22, 2026.
• American Heart Association News, “What the latest heart disease and stroke numbers mean for your health,” https://www.heart.org/en/news/2026/01/21/what-the-latest-heart-disease-and-stroke-numbers-mean-for-your-health, published January 21, 2026.
• WHO, “Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) Fact sheet,” https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds), updated July 31, 2025.
• PubMed, “Global burden of cardiovascular diseases, projections to 2050,” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39270739/, accessed January 22, 2026.