Cerebrovascular disease and diseases of the heart are two of the leading causes of death that share many risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, obesity, and high levels of cholesterol. A recent CDC survey reports that 7% of Arizonans have heart disease, tying Arizona with Texas as the 9th worst state for heart disease risk.1 The leading cause of death to Arizona residents in 2005 continued to be heart disease, which accounted for 10,779 deaths. The fifth leading cause of death, cerebrovascular disease (stroke) accounted for 2,325 deaths. The age-adjusted mortality rates ( 237.4 per 100,000 for men and 147.3 per 100,000 for women) for diseases of the heart continued a downward trend observed since 1980. The risk of death from diseases of heart for females decreased by 20.8% since 1980. The risk of death from diseaseas of the heart for men decreased 15.5% since 1980. Black residents of Arizona were 1.9 times more likely to die from diseases of the heart in 2004 than Asians, who were at the lowest risk of death from diseases of the heart among race/ethnic groups in Arizona.2 “In 2001, the estimated cost of health care expenditures and lost productivity attributable to cardiovascular diseases was $298 billion.”3 “The cost of heart disease and stroke in the United States is projected to be $403 billion in 2006, including health care expenditures and lost productivity from death and disability.”4
