Heart Disease Deaths Are Falling—Here’s How to Lower Your Risk Starting Today
About every 34 seconds, someone in the United States dies from heart disease. Even with that sobering reality, there’s genuinely hopeful news: the American Heart Association’s latest annual report shows that deaths from heart disease and stroke are declining again after an alarming rise in the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
If heart disease runs in your family, if you’ve been told your blood pressure or cholesterol are “a bit high,” or if you simply worry about the number one killer of men and women, you are not alone. The goal here is to translate this new data into clear, realistic steps you can actually take—without crash diets, impossible workout plans, or scare tactics.
Below, we’ll walk through what the new report actually found, why heart disease risk went up during the pandemic, and what evidence-based changes can meaningfully lower your risk—no matter your starting point.
Heart Disease: Still the #1 Killer—Even as Deaths Decline
The American Heart Association’s latest statistics update, drawing on U.S. mortality and health survey data, offers cautious optimism. After heart disease and stroke deaths spiked in the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have started to fall again. However, heart disease still:
- Remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S.
- Claims a life about every 34 seconds.
- Is strongly linked to preventable risk factors such as high blood pressure, high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, and inactivity.
The decline in deaths is encouraging, but it doesn’t mean the problem is solved. Many people still discover they have heart disease only after a heart attack or stroke. That’s why understanding and managing your personal risk is so crucial.
Why Are Heart Disease Deaths Declining Again?
Researchers point to several likely reasons for the recent decline in heart disease and stroke deaths following the pandemic-era surge:
- Better control of blood pressure and cholesterol
More people are being screened and treated for hypertension and high cholesterol, and newer medications have improved outcomes when used consistently. - Improved acute care for heart attacks and strokes
Faster emergency response systems, better hospital protocols, and advances in procedures (like stenting) have increased survival rates. - Increased awareness after the pandemic shock
COVID-19 highlighted the dangers of chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, motivating some people and health systems to take cardiovascular health more seriously. - Ongoing public health efforts
Campaigns promoting smoking cessation, healthy eating, and physical activity—along with policies like smoke-free laws—continue to have a cumulative impact.
“We are seeing encouraging declines in cardiovascular deaths again, but the absolute burden remains very high. The vast majority of people still have at least one modifiable risk factor, which means there is enormous room for prevention.”
— Summary of expert commentary from American Heart Association statisticians
The bottom line: population-level trends are moving in a better direction, but at the individual level, risk remains highly dependent on day-to-day habits, access to care, and early detection.
Know Your Numbers: The Core Heart Disease Risk Factors
You cannot change your age, sex, or genetics, but most people can meaningfully influence the risk factors that drive heart disease. Major modifiable risks include:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and low HDL (“good”) cholesterol
- Smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke
- Diabetes or prediabetes
- Excess body weight, especially around the abdomen
- Physical inactivity and prolonged sitting
- Unhealthy dietary patterns (high in ultra-processed foods, salt, added sugars, and trans fats)
- Chronic stress and poor sleep
In clinic, I often see people who say, “I feel fine, so I figured my heart was fine.” Unfortunately, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are usually silent for years. The only way to know your numbers is to have them checked.
How the Pandemic Raised Heart Risks—and What We Can Learn
The early pandemic years saw a disturbing rise in heart disease and stroke deaths. Multiple factors likely contributed:
- People delaying or avoiding emergency care for chest pain or stroke symptoms.
- Missed routine checkups, blood pressure checks, and lab tests.
- Increased stress, sleep disruption, and alcohol use.
- Weight gain and reduced physical activity during lockdowns.
- Direct cardiovascular effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in some patients.
Many of those patterns haven’t fully reversed. Hybrid work, caregiving demands, and lingering stress can still make it hard to prioritize heart health. The positive side is that these are modifiable trends: even small course corrections can pay off over time.
7 Evidence-Based Ways to Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk
There is no magic supplement or “detox” that prevents heart disease. What works best is a combination of realistic, sustainable habits, sometimes supported by medications when appropriate. Here are seven approaches with strong scientific backing:
- Get your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar checked
- Schedule a primary care visit at least once a year if possible.
- Ask for a fasting lipid panel (cholesterol) and screening for diabetes if recommended.
- If you have hypertension, consider a validated home blood pressure monitor and keep a log.
- Move more—without needing a gym membership
- Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week (like brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.
- Break it up: 10–15 minutes, 2–3 times a day, still counts.
- Add 2 days a week of strength training with bodyweight or light weights.
- Shift toward a heart-healthy eating pattern
Diets like the Mediterranean or DASH patterns are consistently linked to lower heart disease risk. Key features:
- Plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains.
- Healthy fats from nuts, seeds, and olive or canola oil.
- Fish (especially fatty fish like salmon or sardines) 1–2 times per week.
- Limited processed meats, sugary drinks, and ultra-processed snacks.
- Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke
- Quitting smoking can cut your heart disease risk roughly in half over several years.
- Use evidence-based aids: nicotine replacement, prescription medications, and counseling significantly improve success rates.
- Prioritize sleep and stress management
- Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night for most adults.
- Try simple stress-reduction tools: daily walks, breathing exercises, journaling, or short mindfulness sessions.
- If you snore loudly, wake up unrefreshed, or stop breathing during sleep, ask about screening for sleep apnea, which increases heart risk.
- Work with your clinician on medications when needed
For some people, lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough. Evidence-based medications—such as statins for high cholesterol, blood pressure medications, or newer diabetes drugs that protect the heart—can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke when taken as prescribed.
- Stay up to date with vaccines and preventive care
- Respiratory infections like flu and COVID-19 can trigger heart attacks in vulnerable individuals.
- Recommended vaccines and regular follow-ups can indirectly protect your heart by preventing severe illness.
Real-Life Obstacles—and How People Actually Overcome Them
Knowing what to do and being able to do it are two very different things. Many people face barriers like time pressure, cost, caregiving responsibilities, chronic pain, or limited access to healthy food. Here are a few realistic strategies drawn from patient stories (details changed for privacy):
- “I don’t have time to exercise.”
A 52-year-old office worker started by walking during phone calls and adding a 10-minute walk after dinner. Over six months, his step count doubled, and his blood pressure dropped enough that his doctor reduced one of his medications. - “Healthy food is too expensive.”
One family focused on swapping just one meal at a time, using frozen vegetables, canned beans (rinsed), and store-brand oats. They reduced takeout by once per week, cutting costs and sodium at the same time. - “I’m overwhelmed and don’t know where to start.”
A woman with a strong family history of heart disease picked one change per month: first walking, then cutting sugary drinks, then scheduling overdue labs. Small, consistent steps added up to significant improvement in her cholesterol and blood pressure over a year.
What the Science (and Guidelines) Actually Say
Major professional societies, including the American Heart Association and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emphasize a similar set of strategies for heart disease prevention:
- Keep blood pressure below guideline targets (often <130/80 mmHg for people with elevated risk, individualized with your clinician).
- Lower LDL cholesterol with lifestyle and, when indicated, medications like statins.
- Prevent or manage diabetes with diet, activity, and appropriate medications.
- Avoid tobacco entirely.
- Maintain a healthy weight through sustainable, not extreme, approaches.
“Up to 80% of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented with healthy lifestyle behaviors and appropriate treatment of risk factors.”
— Summary from international cardiovascular prevention guidelines
This does not mean you can completely “bulletproof” your heart; some events occur despite excellent habits. But managing these factors significantly shifts the odds in your favor, which is exactly what population-level data are now reflecting in the recent decline in deaths.
A Simple Before-and-After: What Progress Can Look Like
Every person’s journey is different, but here’s a composite example that reflects what research and clinical experience often show.
Before
- Blood pressure: 148/92 mmHg
- LDL cholesterol: 155 mg/dL
- Walks only on weekends
- Fast food 3–4 times per week
- Smokes half a pack per day
After 12–18 Months of Gradual Changes
- Blood pressure: 126/80 mmHg (with medication + lifestyle)
- LDL cholesterol: 90 mg/dL (with statin + diet changes)
- Walks briskly 30 minutes on most days
- Fast food limited to 1 time per week; more home-cooked meals
- Quit smoking with medication and support group
No single change explains the improvement; it’s the combination that matters. This level of progress is far from guaranteed, but it is common when people have support, realistic goals, and access to care.
Turning Encouraging Trends into Personal Action
The fact that heart disease deaths are declining again is not an invitation to relax; it’s a sign that prevention works. The same strategies driving progress at the population level—better blood pressure control, healthier habits, faster treatment—are available to you, too, at whatever pace your life allows.
You do not need to overhaul everything overnight. You do not need perfection. You just need to start, keep going, and get help when you need it.
- Schedule a checkup to review your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
- Pick one daily habit to improve over the next two weeks.
- Share your plan with a friend or family member who can support you.
Your heart has been working for you since before you were born. With informed choices and, when appropriate, medical support, you can meaningfully reduce your risk—and contribute to making those national statistics even better in the years ahead.
