Cardiovascular Disease: Still the Leading Cause of Death?
Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death worldwide
Yes. The latest published global estimates continue to identify cardiovascular disease (CVD) as the world’s leading cause of death. The World Health Organization estimates that CVD caused 19.8 million deaths in 2022, about 32% of all deaths worldwide. A Global Burden of Disease 2023 analysis published in JACC estimates 19.2 million CVD deaths in 2023, with a 95% uncertainty interval of 17.4–20.4 million, and identifies CVD as the leading global cause of death at Level 2 of the GBD cause hierarchy.
The WHO and GBD totals should not be compared as a one-year trend. They come from different data inputs and estimation frameworks. Both support the same conclusion about the global importance of CVD, but the difference between 19.8 million and 19.2 million does not demonstrate a measured decline from 2022 to 2023.
This is a 2026 evidence snapshot based on published global estimates and the latest annual CDC/NCHS leading-cause report used for U.S. context. The U.S. table includes the 10 leading underlying causes reported in provisional 2025 data. Its unit is deaths, larger counts rank higher, and all 10 rows are official_value entries directly published by CDC/NCHS. No 2026 mortality total, forecast or modeled projection is created.
Estimated CVD deaths in 2022, representing approximately 32% of all global deaths.
Estimated CVD deaths in 2023; 95% uncertainty interval: 17.4–20.4 million.
WHO reports that these two events account for most cardiovascular deaths.
Heart-disease deaths in provisional U.S. 2025 CDC/NCHS data.
Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis in the provisional U.S. Top 10.
10 official_value rows; provisional 2025 counts; single CDC/NCHS source.
What counts as cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease is a group of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels. WHO includes coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease and other cardiovascular disorders within the broader CVD category.
This definition matters when mortality statistics are compared. A global CVD estimate combines multiple cardiovascular conditions. U.S. leading-cause statistics instead report heart disease and stroke as separate underlying-cause categories, so the U.S. heart-disease count is not equivalent to the global CVD total.
Cardiovascular disease
A broad family of heart and blood-vessel disorders used for the global mortality conclusion on this page.
Heart disease
A narrower cause category in U.S. mortality statistics. Stroke is classified separately by CDC/NCHS.
Latest evidence on global cardiovascular disease mortality
WHO and GBD 2023 use different estimation systems, but both show the exceptional scale of cardiovascular mortality. In GBD 2023, CVD is the leading cause of death at Level 2 of the cause hierarchy. The same GBD series estimates that CVD deaths increased from 13.1 million in 1990 to 19.2 million in 2023.
Global cardiovascular mortality evidence used in this snapshot
| Measure | Value | Year | Source / method note |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHO CVD deaths | 19.8M | 2022 | WHO published estimate; approximately 32% of global deaths. |
| GBD CVD deaths | 19.2M | 2023 | GBD modeled estimate; 95% UI 17.4–20.4 million; CVD is the leading Level 2 cause of death. |
| GBD CVD deaths | 13.1M | 1990 | GBD modeled estimate; 95% UI 12.2–14.0 million; comparable within the same GBD series. |
Why cardiovascular disease remains the leading global cause of death
The burden remains large because cardiovascular risks are widespread and often accumulate over decades. WHO identifies tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol use and air pollution among important behavioural and environmental risks. High blood pressure, elevated blood glucose, abnormal blood lipids and excess body weight also increase cardiovascular risk.
Hypertension is widespread
WHO estimates that 1.4 billion adults aged 30–79 had hypertension in 2024, while approximately 23% of adults with hypertension had the condition under control.
Heart attacks and strokes dominate
WHO reports that approximately 85% of cardiovascular deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes.
Demographic change matters
GBD 2023 identifies population growth and population ageing among the drivers of change in overall cardiovascular disease burden from 1990 to 2023.
The burden is uneven
WHO reports that more than three quarters of cardiovascular deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
The GBD series estimates that absolute CVD deaths rose from 13.1 million in 1990 to 19.2 million in 2023. That increase should be read alongside changes in population size, age structure, risk-factor exposure, prevention and treatment rather than as evidence that cardiovascular outcomes worsened uniformly everywhere.
U.S. mortality benchmark
U.S. provisional mortality data provide a national comparison without changing the global definition used above. Heart disease ranks first in the 2025 CDC/NCHS list, while stroke is reported separately in fourth place.
Top three underlying causes in provisional U.S. 2025 data
| Rank | Cause | Deaths | Source / method note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart disease | 694,708 | official_value; CDC/NCHS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
| 2 | Cancer | 622,832 | official_value; CDC/NCHS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
| 3 | Unintentional injuries | 184,265 | official_value; CDC/NCHS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
Chart: all 10 provisional U.S. rows
Bar widths are calculated from the same raw death counts used in the U.S. table. Each width equals the row value divided by the largest value, multiplied by 100; calculated percentages are rounded to one decimal place for display. This scaling does not alter source values or rank.
Methodology
The headline conclusion uses the broad cardiovascular-disease category reported by WHO and GBD 2023. Global figures are kept in their original source frameworks rather than averaged or combined. The U.S. ranking is a separate single-source dataset from CDC/NCHS.
Source hierarchy
WHO and CDC/NCHS are prioritized for officially published public-health statistics. Peer-reviewed GBD estimates are used for modeled global burden estimates, uncertainty intervals and long-term comparisons.
Global metric
Deaths attributed to cardiovascular disease as a broad group. WHO publishes a 2022 estimate, while GBD 2023 provides modeled estimates with uncertainty intervals and identifies CVD as the leading Level 2 cause of death.
Cross-source comparison
WHO and GBD use different data inputs and estimation methods. Their totals are not averaged and are not treated as consecutive observations from one statistical series.
Long-term comparison
The 1990 and 2023 comparison uses only GBD 2023 estimates: 13.1 million CVD deaths in 1990 and 19.2 million in 2023.
U.S. comparison metric
The ranking uses provisional 2025 underlying-cause death counts published by CDC/NCHS in its 2026 annual report. Higher raw death count ranks higher.
U.S. population scope
The dataset covers deaths occurring among U.S. residents in the United States during January–December 2025. Deaths among residents of U.S. territories and foreign countries are excluded from this U.S. resident analysis.
Status of the U.S. data
All 10 rows are official_value because CDC/NCHS directly publishes the counts. They remain provisional and may change when final mortality data are released.
Coverage and missing values
The U.S. table includes exactly the 10 leading underlying causes reported by CDC/NCHS for provisional 2025 data. No missing cause is inferred, interpolated or modeled.
Provisional-data limitation
The CDC/NCHS report states that the analysis was based on 99.9% of all 2025 death records received and processed as of May 10, 2026. Late reporting and later revisions can still affect final values.
Rounding and chart method
Death counts are shown as published. Chart bar width equals each raw death count divided by the largest count, multiplied by 100. Calculated bar-width percentages are rounded to one decimal place for display. This scaling does not alter rank or source values.
What the metrics do not measure
Absolute death counts do not directly measure individual risk, incidence, prevalence, disability, quality of care or age-standardized mortality.
U.S. data table
This table provides national context for the global CVD discussion. It is not a global cardiovascular ranking: CDC/NCHS reports heart disease and stroke as separate underlying causes.
CDC/NCHS leading underlying causes of death, United States, provisional 2025
| Rank | Cause | Deaths | Source / method note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart disease | 694,708 | Cardiovascular; official_value; CDC/NCHS NVSS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
| 2 | Cancer | 622,832 | Cancer; official_value; CDC/NCHS NVSS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
| 3 | Unintentional injuries | 184,265 | Injury; official_value; CDC/NCHS NVSS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
| 4 | Stroke | 171,427 | Cardiovascular; official_value; CDC/NCHS NVSS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional; reported separately from heart disease. |
| 5 | Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 148,408 | Respiratory; official_value; CDC/NCHS NVSS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
| 6 | Alzheimer disease | 116,794 | Neurologic; official_value; CDC/NCHS NVSS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
| 7 | Diabetes | 95,229 | Metabolic; official_value; CDC/NCHS NVSS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
| 8 | Influenza and pneumonia | 56,511 | Infectious / respiratory; official_value; CDC/NCHS NVSS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
| 9 | Kidney disease | 55,378 | Renal; official_value; CDC/NCHS NVSS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
| 10 | Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis | 51,941 | Hepatic; official_value; CDC/NCHS NVSS; source report year: 2026; target year: 2025 provisional. |
Single-source dataset: CDC/NCHS National Vital Statistics System, Mortality in the United States: Provisional Data, 2025, published in 2026. The target data year is 2025, the values are provisional, and the ranking may change when final mortality data become available.
Key findings
Key Insight
WHO and GBD 2023 both identify cardiovascular disease as the leading global cause-of-death group, with GBD identifying CVD as the leading Level 2 cause.
Notable Pattern
WHO estimates that heart attacks and strokes together account for approximately 85% of cardiovascular deaths.
Regional / Source Concentration
More than three quarters of CVD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries according to WHO. The U.S. comparison table is intentionally kept to one CDC/NCHS source.
Outlier
The U.S. benchmark falls sharply after its first two rows: heart disease and cancer each exceed 600,000 provisional deaths, while the third-ranked cause is below 200,000.
What the evidence means
“Leading cause of death” is a population-level statement, not a prediction of an individual person’s risk. Personal cardiovascular risk varies with age, blood pressure, tobacco exposure, cholesterol, diabetes, family history and other clinical factors.
Classification also matters. Broad global CVD statistics combine multiple heart and blood-vessel disorders, while national underlying-cause tables may separate heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular conditions.
Exact totals differ across WHO and GBD because their estimation systems differ, so cross-source differences should not be treated as direct year-to-year change.
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Download Excel + CSV Data PackFAQ
Is cardiovascular disease still the leading cause of death worldwide?
Yes. WHO identifies cardiovascular diseases as the leading cause of death globally and estimates 19.8 million deaths in 2022. GBD 2023 estimates 19.2 million CVD deaths in 2023 and identifies CVD as the leading Level 2 cause of death in its hierarchy.
Are the WHO 19.8 million and GBD 19.2 million estimates directly comparable?
No. WHO and GBD use different data inputs and estimation frameworks. Their difference should not be interpreted as a measured decline between 2022 and 2023.
Is cardiovascular disease the same as heart disease?
No. Cardiovascular disease is a broader category covering disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Heart disease is one component, while stroke is another major cardiovascular condition.
Why are heart disease and stroke separate in the U.S. table?
CDC/NCHS classifies heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases, commonly described as stroke, as separate underlying-cause categories in its leading-cause ranking.
What accounts for most cardiovascular deaths?
WHO reports that approximately 85% of cardiovascular deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes.
Why can total CVD deaths rise even when prevention and treatment improve?
Absolute deaths are affected by population size and age structure as well as disease risk. GBD 2023 identifies population growth and population ageing among the drivers of change in overall CVD burden, alongside changing exposure to modifiable risk factors.
Which major modifiable factors contribute to cardiovascular risk?
WHO highlights tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol use and air pollution, together with metabolic risks including high blood pressure, high blood glucose, abnormal blood lipids and excess body weight.
Sources
WHO and CDC/NCHS are used for officially published public-health statistics, while the peer-reviewed GBD 2023 analysis is used for modeled global burden estimates, uncertainty intervals and long-term comparison.
World Health Organization — Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
Primary source for the 2022 global CVD estimate, approximately 32% share of global deaths, 85% heart-attack/stroke share, CVD definition, income-group distribution and risk-factor context.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-%28cvds%29
JACC — Global, Regional, and National Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors in 204 Countries and Territories, 1990–2023
GBD 2023 source for the 19.2 million CVD death estimate, uncertainty interval, Level 2 cause classification, 13.1 million 1990 comparison and analysis of drivers of change in cardiovascular burden.
CDC/NCHS — Mortality in the United States: Provisional Data, 2025
Single numeric source for all 10 U.S. ranking rows, including death counts, rank, provisional status, target year, population scope and record-processing date. Published in 2026.
World Health Organization — Hypertension
Source for the estimate that 1.4 billion adults aged 30–79 had hypertension in 2024 and approximately 23% had it under control.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension
