The rate of death from heart disease in Michigan has declined 19 percent during the past 10 years. The heart disease death rate has been higher in Michigan than in the U.S. since the mid-1970s. Michigan's 1997 age-adjusted heart disease death rate of 137.9 was higher than the U.S. rate of 130.5. Heart disease was the leading cause of all deaths in the U.S. and the second leading cause of YPLL in 1997. African-Americans have higher heart disease death rates than whites.
Men have higher heart disease death rates than women.
In Michigan, the age-adjusted death rate for men was 182.7 compared to 101.9 for women in 1998. African-American males had the highest heart disease death rate at 253.5. Smoking, physical inactivity, hypertension, obesity, and high blood cholesterol all contribute to the likelihood of developing heart disease. Other contributing risk factors include a family history of heart disease, age, gender, diabetes, and poor diet. Many studies have shown that the risk factors associated with heart disease can be reduced by early identification in conjunction with lifestyle changes and treatment.