BRIEF—New report shows 200 medicines in development for heart disease and stroke in USA

Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death in the USA, accounting for one out of every three deaths, according to a web posting by Pharmaceutical and Research Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

A new report shows there are currently 200 medicines in development in the USA by America’s biopharmaceutical companies for cardiovascular diseases, including 42 for heart failure, 23 for stroke and 14 for hypertension or high blood pressure.

According to the American Heart Association, there are more than 800,000 cardiovascular disease deaths in the USA each year and 92 million Americans are living with at least one form of cardiovascular disease or the after effects of a stroke.

Despite these staggering figures, there has been tremendous progress in recent years in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Greater education and awareness about lifestyle and behavioral changes, coupled with significant treatment advances, are helping people with heart disease survive and live longer, healthier lives. And there are many exciting innovative medicines on the horizon.