Recommended use of aspirin and other antiplatelet medications among adults--National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, United States, 2005-2008.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most highly prevalent disease in the United States and remains the leading cause of death among adults aged ≥18 years despite advancements in treatment and prevention in recent decades. Each year, approximately 800,000 persons die from CVD, which includes coronary heart disease (CHD); the majority of those persons who die from CVD had underlying atherosclerosis. Approximately 7.9 million U.S. adults have a history of heart attack, approximately 7 million U.S. adults have a history of stroke, and, approximately 16 million U.S. adults have received a diagnosis of CHD. CVD and CHD cause a substantial economic burden in the United States. In 2010, the estimated annual cost (direct and indirect) of CVD in the United States was approximately $450 billion, including $109 billion for CHD and $54 billion for stroke alone.