A new report from the American Heart Association (AHA) reveals a concerning trend: nearly 60% of American women are projected to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) over their lifetimes.
Published in the AHA journal Circulation on February 27, 2026, the report highlights that heart disease, long considered a primarily male health concern, poses a significant and growing risk to women at all stages of life. This finding underscores the critical require for increased awareness and proactive healthcare measures tailored to women’s cardiovascular health.
Researchers identified a rise in key risk factors among women, including hypertension, obesity, and diabetes, as major contributors to this projected increase. “We are predicting that about 60% of American women will develop heart disease over their lifetime,” said Dr. Karen E. Joynt Maddox, a professor at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and an AHA member. “This isn’t just an issue for older women. it’s a result of complications during pregnancy and early-onset hypertension accumulating over time.”
Currently, over 62 million American women are living with some form of cardiovascular disease, resulting in at least $200 billion in healthcare costs annually. According to the report, if current trends continue, these numbers are expected to rise substantially over the next 25 to 30 years.
The AHA report emphasizes the importance of preventative measures and early detection to mitigate the growing threat of heart disease in women. This research serves as a call to action for national-level strategies focused on improving women’s health and addressing the escalating risk factors contributing to cardiovascular illness.
More information about heart disease and stroke statistics can be found here.
A separate report from February 25, 2026, also indicated that the number of women suffering from heart disease is likely to increase if preventative care and early screenings are not prioritized. Read more about this here.
