Heart disease and stroke deaths are falling in the US — but there’s a quiet health threat that’s spreading fast and putting millions at risk.
In fact, the problem has grown so widespread that the condition landed its own chapter in the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update, released Wednesday.
The numbers paint a grim picture: Nearly 90% of American adults have at least some form of this often silent, deadly disease.
Even more alarming, more than 80% of young and middle-aged adults are already showing early warning signs, potentially setting them up for major health trouble later in life if they don’t take action.
“These numbers should ring alarm bells, particularly among young adults, because that’s a snapshot into our future,” Dr. Sadiya S. Khan, a cardiologist at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine who helped lead the report, said in a statement.
The condition, called cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, isn’t a single disease, but rather a dangerous chain reaction inside the body.
It links heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and obesity, with each problem worsening the others and significantly increasing the risk of poor health outcomes and early death.
“Because these conditions don’t occur in isolation in real life — treating them individually or in siloed ways represent missed opportunities,” Khan told The Post, explaining why doctors have moved to define CKM as a single syndrome rather than separately.
“Therefore, defining the new construct of CKM as a single syndrome promotes earlier screening, detection and coordinated care,” she continued. “This shared framework is also intended to bridge across primary care, cardiology, nephrology and endocrinology.”
Doctors define CKM by a cluster of risk factors, including high blood pressure, high triglycerides, unhealthy cholesterol levels, high blood sugar, impaired kidney function and excess weight or obesity.
Given America’s current health trends, it’s easy to see why it’s on the rise.
Across the country, about 125.9 million — or 47.3% — of adults had high blood pressure between 2021 and 2023, up from 122.4 million between 2017 and 2020. That’s an increase from 46.7% to 47.3%.
Over the same period, nearly 29.5 million adults now have diagnosed diabetes, up from 29.3 million previously.
And it gets worse: less than half of US adults being treated for Type 2 diabetes have their condition under control.
Notably, obesity rates among adults dipped slightly — from 51.1% to roughly 50% — but don’t start celebrating yet.
Among children and teens aged 2 to 19, obesity and severe obesity rose from 25.4% between 2017 and 2020 to 28.1% between 2021 and 2023.
Meanwhile, roughly half of adults now have some form of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the US for more than a century. In 2023, the most recent data available, heart disease and stroke killed 915,973 Americans, accounting for more than a quarter of all deaths.
“Overall projections for these health conditions show increases expected on nearly every level in the next few decades,” Khan warned.
Despite the bleak outlook, experts say it’s not too late to change course.
“Even though these rising numbers can feel discouraging, the advances in our diagnostic and therapeutic arsenal provide hope,” Khan said. “We can detect warning signs before events occur, and we now have many tools to prevent events.”
“With the CKM framework in mind for earlier recognition, this is also a great prompt for lifestyle interventions to optimize health,” Khan said.
“The biggest drivers are not surprising: poor diet quality, physical inactivity and inadequate sleep,” she explained. “The statistics update highlights the growing burden of poor CKM health — including concerning trends in youth — which means lifestyle interventions also need to start earlier.”
One major weapon at the country’s disposal is the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Life’s Essential 8, a practical playbook for better heart, brain and overall health.
It centers on four core habits: eating better, moving more, quitting tobacco and getting enough sleep. It also focuses on four critical health factors: managing weight, controlling cholesterol, regulating blood sugar and keeping blood pressure in check.
And the payoff, it appears, could be huge.
A review of 59 studies found that people with strong Life’s Essential 8 scores had a 74% lower risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to the AHA.
Researchers estimate that if Americans followed these guidelines, up to 40% of annual deaths could be prevented, including those from heart disease, stroke, hypertension and heart failure.
Yet despite these benefits, studies show that few Americans are actually following the AHA’s guidance.
Nationwide, only 1 in 4 adults meet national physical activity guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, plus two days of muscle-strengthening activity.
Among youth, just 1 in 5 Americans ages 6 to 17 is getting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
And while cigarette smoking has declined overall, vaping has exploded in recent years. E-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among youths, with 18.1% of high school students reporting regular use.
“Prevention is our most powerful way to have the greatest impact,” Khan stressed. “The more we use it, and the sooner we use it, the more lives we can save.”
