06/04/2026
{Health Tip} Women and heart disease
A new scientific statement published in Circulation, the peer-reviewed flagship journal of the American Heart Association, projects that nearly 6 in 10 women in the United States will be living with some form of cardiovascular disease within the next 25 years. The report, "Forecasting the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in the United States Through 2050 in Women: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association," builds on previous research to estimate how common heart disease and stroke may become among women and how much the growing burden could cost if current trends continue.
The rise in cardiovascular disease will be driven largely by a surge in high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. By 2050, nearly 60% of women in the US could have high blood pressure, and close to one in three women ages 22 to 44 may already be living with some form of heart disease. Even children are affected: By 2050, nearly 32% of girls ages 2 to 19 may have obesity, raising concerns about earlier and longer-lasting heart health challenges.
"One in every three women will die from cardiovascular disease – maybe it's your grandmother, or your mother, or your daughter," said Karen E. Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH, FAHA, chair of the volunteer writing group, professor of medicine and public health, and co-director of the Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "Additionally, more than 62 million women in the US are living with some type of cardiovascular disease and that comes with a price tag of at least $200 billion, annually. Our estimates indicate that if we stay on the current path, these numbers will grow substantially over the next 25 to 30 years."
Researchers expect increases across every major category of cardiovascular disease in women, including heart disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and stroke. Key drivers such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes are also projected to climb.
"Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women and remains their #1 health risk overall," said Stacey E. Rosen, MD, FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, executive director of the Katz Institute for Women's Health, and senior vice president of women's health at Northwell Health in New York City. "While many people may think conditions like high blood pressure are only occurring in older women, we know this is not the case. We know the factors that contribute to heart disease and stroke begin early in life, even among young women and girls. The impact is even greater among those experiencing adverse social determinants of health such as poverty, low literacy, rural residence, and other psychosocial stressors. Identifying the types of trends outlined in this report is critical to making meaningful changes that can reverse this course."
There is some positive news. High cholesterol levels are expected to decline across nearly all groups of women. Improvements are also anticipated in several behaviors that influence cardiovascular health, including healthier eating, increased physical activity, and reduced smoking.
"We know that people are living longer as health conditions are being better managed. As a medical community, we have done a great job decreasing deaths from big cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes, but these data suggest that we need to really refocus our efforts on health, wellness, and prevention," Dr. Joynt Maddox said. "We need to keep girls and women from developing cardiovascular risk factors so that they can live long, healthy lives free of cardiovascular disease, and that means being very intentional about focusing on optimal cardiovascular health across the life course."
The American Heart Association defines ideal heart health through its Life's Essential 8™ – four health behaviors (eat better, be more active, quit to***co, and get healthy sleep) and four health factors (manage weight, control cholesterol, manage blood sugar, and manage blood pressure). "These ideal cardiovascular health metrics are based on extensive scientific research that recognizes the majority – as much as 80% – of heart disease and stroke can be prevented," Dr. Rosen said. "I like to call Life's Essential 8 a prescription for health. And one of the most exciting things about it is that we have tailored guidance for these metrics for different times in a woman's life – from childhood through menopause and beyond. This report projects a concerning future; however, it's not too late to take the first steps to healthier outcomes."