The state of US women’s heart health: A path to improved health and financial outcomes

Closing the cardiovascular-disease gap between men and women could help women regain 1.6 million years of life lost because of poor health and early death, and boost the US economy by $28 billion annually by 2040.

By Lucy Pérez and Megan Greenfield with the McKinsey Health Institute, and the American Heart Association.

At a glance

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for women. Cardiovascular conditions in the United States make up at least a third of the women’s health gap because of inequities between women and men in care delivery, efficacy, and data availability.
• Addressing heart health at every life stage can improve a woman’s quality of life and overall health. It could lead to at least 1.6 million years of higher-quality life and boost the US economy by $28 billion annually by 2040.
• In the United States, Black women have a higher prevalence of and morbidity from CVD than non-Black women do.

Read the State of US Women’s Heart Health report (PDF).

View Understanding the Women's Heart Health Gap Infographic (PDF).