Heart disease is the leading cause of death, and one of the most widespread, and costly health problems worldwide. It is also the most preventable. The numbers of avoidable deaths, the high economic costs, and the emotional impacts on individuals and families are staggering. Prevention saves lives!
Over the past decade, heart disease has killed 17.3 million people worldwide and has pushed 4 million Americans into disability. These numbers have serious implications for global and domestic economies. The mortality, morbidity and disability caused by cardiovascular disease have a large economic impact in terms of both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs are those associated with hospital care, physician and nursing services, and medications. Indirect costs include lost productivity due to morbidity and mortality and are more difﬁcult to estimate.