According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. One in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day. In 2010, heart disease and stroke hospitalizations cost the nation more than $444 billion in health care expenses and lost productivity. For safety net providers and the vulnerable populations they serve, CVD is even more dangerous. The social deprivation many of these patients face leads to limited access to care and poor adherence to evidence-based prevention therapies, which increases CVD risk even further. Continue Reading