At a glance
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, causing about 1 in 4 deaths. Stroke is also a leading cause of death and disability. Several factors can be involved in the increased risk for these diseases. Examples include other health conditions, lifestyle risk factors, genetic and family history, and the environment.
We Track That
CDC's Tracking Network displays a variety of data for both heart disease and stroke. Data sources include the following.
- U.S. Census Bureau
- State and/or local health departments
- National Center for Health Statistics
Estimates of prevalence of heart attacks and ischemic heart disease are largely based on
- survey samples (e.g., NHANES, NAMCS).
- large cohort studies (e.g., Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities).
Stroke systems of care data come from state and D.C. statutes, regulations, and legislation. These are collected through Thomson Reuters Westlaw (formerly WestlawNext). They are used to analyze pre- and in-hospital care proposed to improve access to time-sensitive, lifesaving treatments for stroke.
Certified stroke center data were obtained directly from the following.
- The Joint Commission
- Det Norske Veritas
- Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program certification
Heart disease and stroke data on the Tracking Network allow for monitoring of trends over time. They also have potential to identify high risk groups not reflected in current national data. Additionally, these data may inform prevention, evaluation, program planning efforts, and policy interventions.
Types of Data
These indicators provide information about health effects due to heart disease and stroke. Data on systems of care that informed policy interventions are also included.
Heart Attack | Stroke
These indicators estimate the number and rate of people admitted to the hospital due to heart attack or stroke. These data come from hospitals, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and CDC's Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke.
Heart Attack | Ischemic Heart Disease | Stroke
These indicators used data collected by vital records from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. They also include data from CDC's Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke.
Coronary Heart Disease | Stroke
These indicators include data on the crude and age-adjusted rate of coronary heart disease. It also includes prevalence of adults ever diagnosed with stroke. Data are collected from the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS), the 2010 Census population, and from CDC's Population Level Analysis and Community Estimates (PLACES) Project.
Stroke systems of care policies addressing pre- and in-hospital care have been proposed to improve access to time-sensitive, lifesaving treatments for stroke. These data include the following.
- Stroke Systems of Care: Pre-hospital Policy Interventions
- Stroke Systems of Care: In-hospital Policy Interventions
- Stroke Systems of Care: Legal Authorities and Organizational Framework
Access the Data
Use the Data Explorer to create custom maps, tables, and charts.
View data in simple Quick Reports.
Get machine-readable data from the Application Program Interface (API).
Data in Action
Tracking heart disease and stroke systems of care (SSOC) will help with the following actions.
- Examine time trends, seasonal patterns, and geographic differences
- Evaluate differences by age, gender, and race/ethnicity
- Identify populations in need of targeted interventions
- Monitor changes in laws over time
- Plan policy for evidence-informed interventions to improve stroke care
- Drive development or implementation of state laws and policy
- Identify gaps in how state law integrates SSOC policies warranting further study