CDC: 2.2 million adult hospital stays for heart-related events in 2016

Heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular events were responsible for more than 2.2 million hospital stays and 415,000 deaths involving adults in 2016, according to a Vital Signs report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Without a more concerted effort to address risk factors, U.S. adults could experience another 16.3 million cardiovascular events by 2022, the report estimates. For example, an estimated 71 million adults are not physically active, 54 million are smokers, 40 million have uncontrolled blood pressure, 39 million are not using statins when indicated and 9 million are not taking aspirin as recommended, the agency said. The Department of Health and Human Services’ Million Hearts initiative seeks to prevent one million acute cardiovascular events by 2022 through community-based strategies that reduce tobacco use, sodium intake and physical inactivity and optimize health care for those at risk for cardiovascular disease. The report provides state-specific data intended to help drive local action.