Survey data from the Centers for Disease/Control National Center for Health Statistics in the USA illustrate the continuing burden of mortality arising from cardiovascular disease.

The left hand axis shows the numbers of deaths attributed to specific conditions in men and women in 2002. The right hand axis expresses the number of deaths in men and women combined as a percentage of the total numbers of deaths during that year.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading killer, with more impact on mortality rates than other major sources of mortality, such as cancer, respiratory disease, accidents or diabetes.