Cardiovascular Disease
Heart disease was the leading cause of death in the United States in 2006. However, in the Hampton Roads region, the age-adjusted rate of deaths due to cardiovascular disease decreased between 2000 and 2008.
Why is This Important?
More than 910,000 Americans die of cardiovascular diseases each year, which is one death every 35 seconds. The economic impact of cardiovascular diseases on our nation's health care system continues to grow as the population ages.
How is Hampton Roads Doing?
Within Virginia, the Hampton Roads region had the fourth lowest age-adjusted rate of cardiovascular deaths in 2008, with 241.1 deaths per 100,000 people. This rate is down from 352.7 in 2000. The Northern region had the lowest age-adjusted death rate at 179.2 in 2008.
What Influences Cardiovascular Disease?
High blood pressure and high blood cholesterol are the two main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Other risk factors include diabetes, tobacco use, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and obesity. Improvements in any of these areas will lower the number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease.
Data Definitions and Sources
Deaths include major cardiovascular diseases, categories I00-I78. Virginia Center for Health Statistics, Virginia Department of Health
Population data: Bridged-Race Census population prepared by NCHS; regional age-adjusted rates were computed by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, University of Virginia.
See the Data Sources and Updates Calendar for a detailed list of the data resources used for indicator measures on Hampton Roads Performs.
