Types and Incidence of 
Cardiovascular Disease in the United States
Hypertension: 75,000,000
Coronary heart disease: 25,155,000
Myocardial infarction: 790,000
Heart failure: 6,500,000
Stroke: 7,950,000
Because of comorbidities, it is not possible to add these numbers 
together to reach a total (American Heart Association [AHA], 2010; 

blood pressure.Intracellular microcalcification occurs, 
forming deposits within the vascular smooth muscle cells of the sur-
rounding muscular layer (Fig.Decreased NO is a factor in 
the endothelial cell dysfunction that disrupts vascular balance and can 
result in vasoconstriction, platelet activation, leukocyte adherence, and 
vascular inflammation.Once in 
the tissue, monocytes evolve into a specialized type of macrophage 
called a foam cell that ingests oxidized cholesterol and becomes fatty 
streaks in these vessels.A protective fibrin layer or atheroma forms between the fatty 
deposits and the artery lining.Atheromas produce enzymes that cause 
the artery to enlarge over time, thus compensating for the narrowing32.1).