Cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths in the United States climbed from 868,662 in 2018 to 915,973 in 2023, reversing years of progress and falling hardest on racial and ethnic minority communities. The study finds that the steepest annualized increases in deaths occurred among Asian Indian, Vietnamese, Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, while White and Japanese groups saw minimal change.
Researchers report that hypertensive and ischemic heart diseases drove much of the surge, with Asian Indians and Vietnamese experiencing annual increases in ischemic heart disease deaths above 6%, compared with modest growth among White individuals. In cerebrovascular disease, Other Pacific Islanders and Chinese recorded some of the largest increases, again outpacing White populations. For “other forms of heart disease,” Black and American Indian/Alaska Native communities recorded substantially higher rises than Whites.
Geography and place sharpen these inequities. Mortality rose fastest in non-core rural areas, where American Indian/Alaska Native communities experienced especially high annual increases, while large central metro areas saw smaller upticks. Younger adults aged 25-34 years in Black, Asian Indian, and American Indian groups recorded particularly alarming growth in CVD deaths, signaling accelerating early-onset mortality.
Sex, Hispanic origin, and education further compound risk. Women in several racial groups, including Asian Indians and Blacks, had higher annual increases than men, and Hispanic subgroups within American Indian and Black populations experienced steeper climbs. CVD mortality rose most sharply among people with a high school education or less—especially Black, American Indian, and Pacific Islander adults—while trends among college graduates were nearly flat, underscoring how structural disadvantage and racism shape who pays the highest price.
See: “Widening Racial and Sociodemographic Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Death Counts in the United States: A Comprehensive Analysis of 2018-2023 National Data” (October 23, 2025)
