U.S. Heart Disease Cost to Triple by 2030

The costs associated with heart disease are expected to triple in the United States by 2030, totaling more than $800 billion a year, says a new report by the American Heart Association (AHA).

In 2006, 631,636 people died of heart disease in the U.S. And, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease accounted for 26% of deaths (one in four Americans).

The AHA predicts the number of heart disease cases will grow by 10% over the next 20 years, unless measures are taken to improve national health.

Treating high blood pressure will be the most costly, accounting for $389 billion of the projected $818.1 billion. The AHA report says higher obesity rates and tobacco use continue to fuel the increase in cardiovascular disease.

The AHA wants more action to help stem the tide of cardiovascular disease; praising President Obama's healthcare reform and insisting that a repeal of the legislation will be a "catastrophe."

AHA representatives want more focus on preventive care, rather than waiting until people get sick and then treating their symptoms.

Overall healthcare spending continues to rise in the U.S.; increasing from 16.6% of gross domestic product in 2009, to 17.6% in 2010. According to government data spending on hospital services, doctor visits, medications, and other health needs jumped 4% to $2.5 trillion in 2009.

But, the AHA says heart disease is very preventable. A healthy diet is the most effective way to lower your risk of heart disease. The AHA recommends eating eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day; as well as cutting salt, consuming less saturated fat, and exercising more.

Worldwide, the World Health Organization identifies heart diseases as the number one cause of death; an estimated 17.1 million people died from heart diseases in 2004 (29% of global deaths).

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