Heart disease is the leading killer among men and women and across all racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. Almost 960,000 Americans die of heart disease each year. Heart disease deaths are only part of the picture. Heart disease is also the leading cause of disability among U.S. adults. Almost one-fourth of Americans live with some form of heart disease. Major contributors to heart disease are poor diet, lack of physical activity, diabetes, tobacco use, high cholesterol, and blood pressure.