Key Takeaways
- 8.9 million deaths in 2019 attributed to coronary heart disease (the most common type of coronary artery disease), representing 16% of all global deaths
- 17.6 million global deaths in 2015 were due to cardiovascular diseases caused by coronary heart disease (ischemic heart disease)
- In the Global Burden of Disease study, ischemic heart disease ranked first worldwide among causes of death in 2019
- In 2017, 63% of adults with coronary heart disease reported meeting physical activity guidelines (CDC summary statistics)
- In the U.S., 34.9% of patients eligible for cardiac rehabilitation do not complete the program (completion rates reported in AHA statistics)
- $40.1 billion (2016) in estimated direct medical costs for cardiovascular diseases in the United States attributable to coronary heart disease
- Approximately 20% of adults with stable coronary disease experience recurrent angina symptoms requiring repeat evaluation within 1 year
- Median guideline-recommended LDL-C target for very-high-risk patients is <70 mg/dL (ACC/AHA), relevant for secondary prevention of coronary artery disease
- For secondary prevention in coronary artery disease, the ESC guideline recommends an LDL-C goal of <55 mg/dL for patients at very high risk (2019 ESC/EAS)
- In the FOURIER trial, evolocumab reduced LDL-C by 59% from baseline vs placebo and reduced major cardiovascular events in patients with established atherosclerotic disease including coronary artery disease
- In the IMPROVE-IT trial (2015), adding ezetimibe to simvastatin reduced LDL-C by an additional 24% and reduced the composite cardiovascular outcome in patients with recent acute coronary syndrome
- In the CANTOS trial, canakinumab reduced the incidence of recurrent cardiovascular events in post-myocardial infarction patients with elevated hs-CRP; median hs-CRP and event reduction were dose-dependent (study reports event-rate reductions)
- In the CABG vs PCI literature, revascularization approach outcomes vary by complexity; the SYNTAX score categories guide selection (trial reports quantitative event differences by complexity)
- In the SYNTAXES trial era, 1-year all-cause mortality differences were reported across revascularization arms based on planned strategy and complexity (quantitative event comparisons)
- Drug-eluting stents reduced target lesion revascularization vs bare-metal stents in multiple randomized trials; TAXUS and SIRIUS programs reported large relative reductions (e.g., ~50%+ reductions in repeat procedures)
Coronary heart disease drives about 16% of global deaths, so aggressive prevention and lipid lowering save lives.
Global Burden
Global Burden Interpretation
User Adoption
User Adoption Interpretation
Cost Analysis
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Clinical Outcomes
Clinical Outcomes Interpretation
Therapy Effectiveness
Therapy Effectiveness Interpretation
Industry Trends
Industry Trends Interpretation
Epidemiology
Epidemiology Interpretation
Health Systems
Health Systems Interpretation
Market & Costs
Market & Costs Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Coronary Artery Disease Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/coronary-artery-disease-statistics
Rachel Svensson. "Coronary Artery Disease Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/coronary-artery-disease-statistics.
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Coronary Artery Disease Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/coronary-artery-disease-statistics.
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