Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program

Heart Disease and Stroke Facts

The data below is taken from the following resources:

• South Dakota Vital Records 2007
• South Dakota Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2007
• National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2007-2009

Mortality and Morbidity

• Heart disease and stroke are the first and third leading causes of death for both men and women in South Dakota and the nation.  This is true for American Indians, Alaska Natives, Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites.
• Heart disease, the leading cause of death in South Dakota, accounted for 1623 (23.9%) of deaths in 2007.
• Stroke is the third leading cause of death in South Dakota, accounting for 408 (6%) resident deaths in South Dakota.
• A significantly higher prevalence of males have been told they have had a heart attack than females.
• The prevalence of ever having a heart attack or stroke generally increases as age increases.
• American Indian women have a higher prevalence of a previous heart attack than white women.
• Very few women perceive themselves to be at risk of heart disease, when in fact, more women die of heart disease than cancer and other diseases. 
• In 2007, four of the top 10 hospital discharges were related to forms of heart disease and stroke.
• In 2007, mortality resulting from heart disease and stroke was significantly higher among Whites than among the American Indian population.
• Deaths resulting from stroke were significantly higher among females in 2007 than among males.

Related Risk Factors and Facts — South Dakota

• In 2007 25.5% of BRFSS respondents reported having hypertension, slightly below the 2007 national average of 27.8%.
• The prevalence of high blood cholesterol has been increasing since the late 1980’s.
• In 2007, 34% of South Dakotans reported having high blood cholesterol, slightly below the 2007 national average of 37.6%.
• The prevalence of diabetes has been increasing since the late 1980’s. 
• In 2007, 6.7% of South Dakotans reported having diabetes.
• American Indians have a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes than Whites (11% vs. 6.4%).
• People with diabetes have a significantly increased risk for all forms of heart disease and stroke. 
• A person with diabetes has the same level of heart attack and stroke risk as a person who has already suffered a stroke. 
• 80 million Americans suffer from heart disease, stroke and other forms of cardiovascular disease.
• 15% of heart disease and stroke patients do not have health insurance.  Oftentimes, this is because they have a pre-existing health condition which forces them to pay exorbitant insurance premiums. 
• In 2009, heart disease is projected to cost more than $304.6 billion, including health care services, medications, and lost productivity.
• An estimated 47% of cardiac deaths occur before emergency services or transport to a hospital.
  • 32.1% of persons aged 20 years and older have hypertension or are taking hypertension medications
  • 16.9% of persons aged 20 years and older have high blood cholesterol
  • 10% 20 years and older have physician-diagnosed diabetes
  • 32% of persons aged 20 years and older are obese
  • 18.4% of adults aged 18 years and older currently smoke cigarettes
  • 39.5% of adults aged 18 years and older engage in no leisure-time physical activity
• In 2003, approximately 37% of adults reported having two or more of six risk factors for heart disease and stroke (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, current smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity).
  
• Timely access to emergency cardiac care and survival is partly dependent on early recognition of heart attack symptoms and immediate action by calling emergency services. In a 2005 survey, most persons (92%) recognized chest pain as a heart attack symptom, but only 27% correctly classified all symptoms and knew to call 9–1–1 when someone was having a heart attack.
  
• Studies among people with heart disease have shown that lowering high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure can reduce the risk of dying of heart disease, having a nonfatal heart attack, and needing heart bypass surgery or angioplasty.
  
• Studies among people without heart disease have shown that lowering high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure can reduce the risk of developing heart disease.