Heart Attacks are Down, Heart Disease is Up.

Guinevere Everidge08/19/2025

How Changing Cardiovascular Risks Impact Employee Health

Heart disease surpasses all other conditions as the primary cause of death in the US, resulting in almost 20 million cardiac-related deaths globally, according to the American Heart Association (AHA)¹. While we have reduced the average number of heart attacks significantly through awareness, education, and the evolution of medical science, there is an increase in the risk of heart disease.

The work culture in the last half-century has changed dramatically. The workforce has doubled in size, meaning more employees, including more women and prime-aged individuals, are working today. Even though men may show signs of heart disease earlier, women are more at risk of developing and dying from heart disease overall². According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 60 million women (44 percent) in the US are living with some form of heart disease³. This is primarily due to their smaller hearts and narrower blood vessels⁴.

How Heart Disease is Impacting Your Workforce

A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction (MI) or, more commonly, cardiac arrest, is just one result of heart disease. Heart disease includes, but is not limited to, heart attacks, congenital heart defects, arrhythmias, diseases of the valves, coronary arteries, and heart muscle disease, also known as cardiomyopathy. While some heart disease may be hereditary, most is acquired due to stress, diet, and lack of activity.

According to the CDC, over 680,000 died from heart disease in 2023, and over 13 million visited their physician’s office with a primary diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) and other ischemic heart disease⁵. Two broad causes for heart muscle disease are ischemic (compromising blood flow to the muscle) and non-ischemic (caused by other conditions that lead to heart muscle damage)⁶. What if you, as an employer, could help impact these statistics? The employees most at risk are long-haul drivers, first responders, food and drink prep workers, cargo workers, plant and machine operators, and assemblers⁷.

As an employer, you can assess and address workplace conditions that lead to stress and poor diet due to limited options. This can promote a healthier, more productive, happier workforce and reduce health care expenditures. The workplace is the perfect place to educate on heart disease prevention. On average, Americans spend more than a third of their waking time engaging in work⁸.

Signs and Symptoms of Heart Disease

Heart disease can affect anyone at any age. As an employer, you have the power to educate employees on best workplace practices and prevent a diagnosis of heart disease through wellness programs. Concentra® can help employers promote wellness initiatives through their onsite accounts, promoting health and keeping employees engaged and enriched.

Depending on the type of heart condition, symptoms may vary. Some common symptoms of heart disease may include chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations (heart racing), swelling of arms and/or legs, and fainting. Early warning signs can show up as off-and-on chest pressure (angina). This is blood flow to the heart muscle is compromised, exhibiting as symptoms of chest pain/pressure, which is called “angina,” and may be associated with shortness of breath, amongst other symptoms such as nausea and diaphoresis (sweating without activity). This can be a potential emergency; recognizing them with immediate action can be lifesaving. Other symptoms are quick and sudden, with no warning signs, and can appear in different ways up to weeks in advance⁹.

Heart Attacks for Men

Heart attacks specifically can show up differently between men and women. Men will show more of the traditional signs we think of when we think of a heart attack. These symptoms include, but are not limited to¹⁰:

Squeezing chest pressure or pain
Shortness of breath
Nausea or vomiting
Jaw, neck, or back pain

Heart Attacks for Women

Until 40 years ago, no one thought to look at heart problems differently in women, or in women at all. Publications and educational pamphlets were all centered around the male body. In the mid-1980s, the Framingham Heart Study began the first in-depth, long-term cardiovascular investigation. This was the start of tying heart disease to men and women. Women often did not meet the criteria to be included in these cardiovascular studies due to the nature of their symptoms¹¹. These symptoms include, but are not limited to¹⁰:

Nausea or vomiting
Jaw, neck, or upper back pain
Chest pain, but not always
Pain or pressure in the lower chest or upper abdomen
Shortness of breath
Fainting
Indigestion
Extreme fatigue

Heart Disease in the Blood Vessels

Heart disease in the blood vessels is commonly known as coronary artery disease. The two coronary arteries in the heart are the left and right coronary arteries (LCA and RCA). Together, these two arteries supply the heart muscle with blood. They are susceptible to plaque buildup in the form of fats, cholesterol and other substances. This buildup is known as atherosclerosis and reduces blood flow to the heart and other parts of the body. Symptoms of coronary artery disease include, but are not limited to¹⁰:

Chest pain, chest tightness, and chest discomfort (angina)
Shortness of breath
Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper belly, or back
Pain, numbness, weakness, or coldness in the legs or arms, meaning the blood vessels in those body areas are narrowed

Arrhythmias

Heart arrhythmias refer to an irregular heart rhythm, whether it beats too slowly, too quickly, or in an uncoordinated pattern. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), pacemakers, and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are all available to correct an arrhythmia. Symptoms of arrhythmias include, but are not limited to¹¹:

Chest pain or discomfort
Dizziness
Fainting or almost fainting
Fluttering in the chest
Lightheadedness
Racing heartbeat
Shortness of breath
Slow heartbeat

Diseased Heart Muscle – Cardiomyopathy

When the heart muscle is diseased, the heart has a harder time pumping blood to the rest of the body. This can lead to other severe heart conditions, such as blood clots, heart valve problems, cardiac arrest, and even heart failure. The main types of cardiomyopathy are hypertrophic and restrictive. Some people do not have symptoms of cardiomyopathy, but they can include¹²:

Feeling short of breath during activity or rest
Shortness of breath at night when trying to sleep or waking up with shortness of breath
Rapid, pounding, or fluttering heartbeats
Swollen legs, ankles, or feet

Heart Valve Disease

The heart has four valves that open and close to allow blood to flow through it. Stenosis occurs when a valve narrows to restrict blood flow, and regurgitation occurs when the heart valve allows blood to flow backward. Symptoms of arrhythmias include, but are not limited to¹¹:

Chest pain
Fainting or almost fainting
Fatigue
Irregular heartbeats
Shortness of breath
Swollen feet or ankles

Treatments and Diagnosis

The treatments for heart disease vary by type. Some conditions may be more urgent than others. If underlying cardiac conditions are not treated or controlled, they may compromise heart function, which can be fatal. Employees can counteract the long-term effects of heart disease by taking note of the risks. Little changes to diet and exercise routines and minor changes to lifestyle, in general, can significantly impact. Employers can help promote a healthy lifestyle by taking preventive measures in the workplace. Concentra can assist employers by providing their employees with general education on preventive heart-healthy education, whether it is nutrition or exercise-related information.

Things Your Company Can Promote to Encourage a Healthy Workplace

Short physical activity breaks (5-10 minutes) into a workday
Health education programs to counsel employees on healthier work behaviors
Prohibit smoking in the workplace and surrounding areas.
Offer healthy foods in workplace vending machines and cafeterias.

How Concentra Can Help

Concentra's clinicians can help educate employees on the reality of living with heart disease if they have it and the best ways to lower their risk of developing cardiovascular problems if they do not yet have it. We can help you create a nutrition plan for your employee cafeteria and find resources for dietitians. In starting this initiative, it is vital to note how heart disease affects not only your employees but also the company overall. It can directly influence the cost of your employees' health insurance coverage. Indirectly, it impacts the costs associated with lost productivity caused by absenteeism and presenteeism. It can also affect the short- and long-term disability. Concentra can provide additional resources to help start or improve a Workplace Health Promotion Program.

Contact a Concentra representative today to get started on this workplace initiative.

Resources

“Heart Disease is the Leading Cause of Death,” American Heart Association, January 24, 2024
“Understanding the Heart Attack Gender Gap,” Harvard Health Publishing, April 15, 2016
“Women and Heart Disease,” CDC, May 15, 2024
“7 Differences Between Men and Women,” Mass General Brigham, Michelle O’Donoghue, MD, Feb 15, 2024
“Heart Disease Stats,” CDC/National Center for Health Statistics, July 15, 2025
Differences Between Ischemic and Non-Ischemic Heart Issues,” The University of Utah Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research & Training Institute, n.d.
“About Heart Disease,” CDC/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), January 3, 2024
“Cardiovascular Workplace Guide,” CDC, May 15, 2024
“Heart Attack Symptoms and Causes,” Mayo Clinic, October 9, 2023
“Heart Attack Warning Signs,” American Heart Association’s Journal, 2019
“Arrhythmia Types,” Stanford Health Care, n.d.
“Cardiomyopathy Symptoms and Causes,” Mayo Clinic, February 21, 2024