Ischemic Heart Disease
Below Median Funding/DALYCategory: Cardiovascular
Ischemic heart disease is the single largest cause of lost healthy life in the United States, responsible for 8.1% of all DALYs, yet it receives a fraction of the funding that smaller-burden diseases command.
DALYs / year
8,948,089
GBD 2019
Share of US Burden
8.1%
of all DALYs
NIH Funding
$1.8B
FY 2024
Funding per DALY
$161
Median: $218
Key Facts
- Leading cause of death in the U.S., killing ~375,000 Americans per year
- Responsible for nearly 9 million DALYs annually
- Receives ~$161 of NIH funding per DALY, far below the median across diseases
- FY 2024 NIH funding rose to ~$1.8 billion, still disproportionately low relative to burden
How Does This Compare?
COPD
$22
Stroke
$91
Lung Cancer
$100
→ Ischemic Heart Disease
$161
Depressive Disorders
$218
Diabetes
$246
Drug Use Disorders
$250
Chronic Kidney Disease
$284
Alzheimer's & Dementias
$1,183
Funding per DALY = NIH FY 2019 spending ÷ GBD 2019 DALYs. Lower = more underfunded relative to burden.
Sources
Advocate for Ischemic Heart Disease Research
Use our tool to find your representatives and send them a letter about increasing research funding for ischemic heart disease.
Contact Your Representative