The “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2013 Update” and the Need for a National Cardiovascular Surveillance System

Abstract

The “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2013 Update,” published by the American Heart Association (AHA) in this issue of Circulation ,1 and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, “A National Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases,” published last year,2 attest to the importance and value of timely, high-quality, population-based data on the incidence of heart disease and stroke and their risk factors. The annual Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update is the authoritative source of annual estimates of incidence, prevalence, and risk factor distribution in the country. It is carefully crafted from a wide variety of separate federally and privately funded studies of various designs, reach, and sample size. In its breath, quality, and style it represents a national treasure of the best available information on the burden of heart disease and stroke events and risk factors that is a highly valued resource in the medical and public health communities. Indeed, the Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update is cited nearly 2000 times each year in the scientific literature. However, even this compilation of the best data available does not have national representative or timely data on heart disease and stroke incidence at its disposal. It is our best guess at questions for which we should not be guessing. More comprehensive monitoring of the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which cause more death and disability than any other medical conditions, is important to the physical and economic health of the country. The IOM report is clear in its overall message and resolute in its vision; we need to strengthen our ability to monitor the cardiovascular health of the country and create a national system to capture information on heart disease and stroke. The Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update appearing in this issue is our best …