A stroke happens when something blocks blood flow and oxygen to your brain. A blood clot can block the flow, or a blood vessel can weaken or burst.

Strokes are the fifth leading cause of death for both men and women. But there are things you can do to reduce your risk of stroke.

Heart disease and stroke, two of the most common types of CVD, caused nearly 260,000 more deaths than cancer, the second leading cause of death, finds the CDC. You can take proactive measures to prevent heart disease. Through heart health screenings, doctors can find whether you have risk factors for heart disease, stroke, or other CVD problems before damage or symptoms begin.

If you receive a heart disease diagnosis, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes to reduce heart disease risk factors and improve your heart health. But you may also need to take one or more medications for your heart health.

Managing heart disease can feel overwhelming at first. Here’s how you can get a handle on your treatment.

Unfortunately, many Americans aren’t making choices that align with the American Heart Association’s (AHA) dietary guidelines for heart healthy eating. These tips can help you make heart-healthy choices.

Most people think of diabetes as a problem with your blood sugar. But did you know that diabetes is also associated with a higher risk of heart disease? In fact, the CDC reports that people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who aren’t diabetic. Learn more about what why diabetics are more at risk of cardiovascular disease — and what you can do about it!

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading killer of both men and women in the U.S., causing some 660,000 deaths a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The American Heart Association reports that every 36 seconds someone dies from CVD — an umbrella term for several diseases that affect the heart, arteries, and blood vessels.