According to the American Heart Association, one in three adults have some form of cardiovascular disease. A total of 12,597 people in South Carolina died of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 2004, making it the leading cause of death in the state. During that same year, cardiovascular disease accounted for 86,417 hospitalizations of South Carolinians. The economic costs of cardiovascular disease nationwide are staggering. For 2006, the American Heart Association estimated that the cost of cardiovascular diseases nationwide would be $403.1 billion in direct and indirect costs; this figure includes hospitalizations, physician services, medications, and lost productivity.
In 2002, South Carolina ranked second in the nation for stroke deaths and fourteenth in deaths from cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease causes over 34 percent of all deaths in South Carolina, making it the leading cause of death in the Palmetto State. Portions of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia associated with high stroke mortality rates have become known as the “Stroke Belt.” The Pee Dee and coastal areas of South Carolina have an exceptionally high rate of stroke death, designating this region the “Stroke Buckle” of the “Stroke Belt.” Those who suffer from, but do not die of, cardiovascular disease will almost certainly suffer a reduced quality of life. Recovering from cardiovascular disease requires significant lifestyle changes for both the sufferer and perhaps his or her family. Indeed, South Carolina’s condition is critical in terms of cardiovascular health.
Particularly hard-hit by cardiovascular disease are African-Americans, who represent 30 percent of South Carolina’s population and 12 percent of the nation’s people. African-Americans carry a disproportionate burden of CVD deaths, hospitalizations, and risk factors. They also face higher risks of developing ischemic heart disease and suffer stroke deaths more often than whites. African-Americans in South Carolina had a 73 percent higher stroke death rate than the national average in 2003.
In response to the crisis, the South Carolina Division of Cardiovascular Health (CVH Division) has been developing goals and objectives that address cardiovascular disease. Committed to improving cardiovascular health in South Carolina, the CVH Division was established in 1998 and has worked through established partnerships within the state. Based on the significant toll that CVD takes on South Carolina residents, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), in collaboration with its partners, is ready to implement a comprehensive action plan to address the challenges of this disease.
This report is a description of the impact of cardiovascular disease in South Carolina, including modifiable risk factors, trends, and disparities. When available, comparisons between race, gender, age, state data and the national public health goals outlined in Healthy People 2010 (HP 2010) have been provided. The report was developed in collaboration with the CVH Data/Risk Factor Subcommittee. The CVH Division’s focus is on promoting community, institutional, and environmental change in the areas of physical inactivity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Data resources to support the efforts of the CVH Program and their communities are provided in this burden report. It is our intent that these efforts will help improve the cardiovascular health of South Carolina’s citizens.
Contents
I. Executive Summary
II. Trends in Cardiovascular Disease
- Cardiovascular Disease
Coronary Heart Disease
Stroke
III. Health Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease
IV. Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease
- Physical Inactivity
Poor Nutrition
Tobacco Use
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
High Cholesterol
Overweight/Obesity
Diabetes
Risk Factor Clustering
V. Cost of Cardiovascular Disease in South Carolina
VI. Barriers to Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
- No Health Insurance
Health Care Cost
VII. Data Sources and Methods
VIII. Data Resources for Cardiovascular Disease
IX. Glossary
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