Changes

To avoid or postpone atherosclerosis physicians recommend the elimination of cigarette smoking, a reduction of dietary [[saturated fat]], a reduction in high blood pressure, more [[exercise]], and weight control. Perhaps Americans are heeding this advice; the age-adjusted annual death rate from heart disease plunged from 559 deaths (per 100,000) in 1960 to 240  in 2002, and it continues to fall. In addition to life style changes, major credit goes to advances in [[surgery]], especially balloon [[angioplasty]] (which widens the artery by flattening the plaque) and [[bypass]] surgery (which routes blood around the blockage). Survival of patients who reach the hospital has improved markedly, but about one-third of the 1,500,000 Americans who have a heart attack each year will die. About 250,000 people will die from their heart attack before they reach the hospital. For people who survive a heart attack, about 20% of women and 16% of men will have another during the next four years.

To avoid or postpone atherosclerosis physicians recommend the elimination of cigarette smoking, a reduction of dietary [[saturated fat]], a reduction in high blood pressure, more [[exercise]], and weight control. Perhaps Americans are heeding this advice; the age-adjusted annual death rate from heart disease plunged from 559 deaths (per 100,000) in 1960 to 240  in 2002, and it continues to fall. In addition to life style changes, major credit goes to advances in [[surgery]], especially balloon [[angioplasty]] (which widens the artery by flattening the plaque) and [[bypass]] surgery (which routes blood around the blockage). Survival of patients who reach the hospital has improved markedly, but about one-third of the 1,500,000 Americans who have a heart attack each year will die. About 250,000 people will die from their heart attack before they reach the hospital. For people who survive a heart attack, about 20% of women and 16% of men will have another during the next four years.

==Stroke==  

==Stroke==

Similar to heart disease, but counted separately, is '''stroke''' or "[[cerebrovascular accident]]" (CVA). It is the third most common cause of death, taking 163,000 American lives in 2002. It involves a sudden impairment of brain function, usually caused by atherosclerosis or a blood clot that cuts of the flow of blood to the brain.  Stroke affects the brain, while a heart attack affects the heart. About half the fatal strokes come before age 70.  Smoking, high cholesterol, [[diabetes]], [[aging]], and genetic defects make stroke more likely. The death rate fell in half between 1970 and the 1990s, perhaps due to better diets, exercise, and less smoking. If not immediately fatal a stroke may be more or less debilitating; therapy is often successful.

Similar to heart disease, but counted separately, is '''stroke''' or "[[cerebrovascular accident]]" (CVA). It is the third most common cause of death, taking 163,000 American lives in 2002. It involves a sudden impairment of brain function, usually caused by atherosclerosis or a blood clot that cuts of the flow of blood to the brain.  Stroke affects the brain, while a heart attack affects the heart. About half the fatal strokes come before age 70.  Smoking, high cholesterol, [[diabetes]], [[aging]], and genetic defects make stroke more likely. The death rate fell in half between 1970 and the 1990s, perhaps due to better diets, exercise, and less smoking. If not immediately fatal a stroke may be more or less debilitating; therapy is often successful.