Heart Disease and Stroke Expected to Rise Significantly Among Younger Women

Obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure are fueling increases in cardiovascular disease, even among much younger women, the American Heart Association said.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Without better prevention and early detection, the number of women living with cardiovascular disease will increase substantially in the coming decades, the American Heart Association said. The percentage of women with at least one type of cardiovascular disease is projected to climb by more than a third, from 10.7% in 2020 to 14.4% in 2050, driven by rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, especially among younger women.

Why it matters

Cardiovascular disease is already the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. The projected increases, if realized, would have significant public health implications, underscoring the need for improved prevention and early detection efforts to address these concerning trends.

The details

The American Heart Association's forecast is based on historical data from national health surveys and census estimates of population growth. The authors project increases in the prevalence of various cardiovascular conditions among adult women, including coronary heart disease (from 6.9% in 2020 to 8.2% in 2050), heart failure (2.5% to 3.6%), stroke (4.1% to 6.7%), and atrial fibrillation (1.6% to 2.3%). These rises are driven by growing rates of risk factors like obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, which are also expected to increase significantly, especially among younger women and girls.

  • The forecast is based on data from 2015-2020 and 2015-2019.
  • The projections extend to the year 2050.

The players

American Heart Association

A nonprofit organization focused on cardiovascular health and disease prevention.

Dr. Stacey Rosen

Volunteer president of the American Heart Association and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women's Health at Northwell Health in New York City.

Dr. Karen Joynt Maddox

Cardiologist and professor of medicine and public health at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who wrote the scientific statement.

Norrina Bai Allen

Epidemiologist specializing in cardiovascular disease and director of the Institute for Public Health and Medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

This report highlights the urgent need to address rising cardiovascular risk factors, especially obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, among younger women and girls. Improved prevention and early detection efforts will be critical to reversing these troubling trends and reducing the burden of heart disease and stroke in the coming decades.