Cardiovascular disease* has been the leading cause of death in the United States every year since 1900 except during the 1918 flu epidemic.
*Cardiovascular diseases include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, heart failure and several other conditions including arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy and peripheral arterial disease.
Additional Reading: Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Decline in Deaths from Heart Disease and Stroke -- United States, 1900-1999. MMWR. August 6, 1999 / 48(30);649-656.
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