Cleveland Clinic Survey: Many Americans Unaware of Heart Health Risks, Skip Medication Doses

CLEVELAND: A new Cleveland Clinic national survey found that many people do not know certain habits can potentially harm their heart health and increase their risk for heart disease.  

While 74% of Americans are aware that stress can negatively impact heart health, about 40% do not recognize that alcohol consumption and lack of sleep also can have detrimental effects on the heart. Additional factors Americans reported not knowing may impact heart health include:  

• Tobacco consumption (40%) 

• Air pollution (62%) 

• Supplements/vitamins (90%) 

“Each year we aim to educate the public about lesser-known heart risks and encourage individuals to be proactive in managing their cardiovascular health,” said Samir Kapadia, M.D., chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic. 

“By emphasizing the importance of a healthy lifestyle and diet, and understanding family history and genetic factors, we aim to empower people to make informed decisions that could help prevent heart disease.” 

The survey found almost all Americans believe supplements can improve heart health (97%). While 92% of Americans said they currently take vitamins or supplements or have taken these in the past, of those respondents, only 38% take supplements to support heart health. Some of the top supplements Americans currently take or have taken to support heart health include a multivitamin, vitamin D and fish oil.  

Interestingly, while 9 in 10 Americans say they would be willing to take a statin or other prescribed heart medication if recommended by their doctor, 68% believe that prescription medication should only be the last resort when it comes to heart health.  

Additionally, 84% said that if they had a choice, they would rather take supplements than prescribed medication to improve their heart health. Many supplements, including those marketed for improving heart health, may carry risks for certain individuals and can interfere with some medications. In general, scientific studies have found most supplements to not be effective in improving heart health. In fact, some studies have shown that certain supplements can have negative effects on components of heart health. 

Findings also reveal that 3 in 5 Americans admit to skipping doses of heart medications, such as aspirin, statins, or blood pressure drugs, with many underestimating the consequences of missing doses.  

“Repeatedly skipping heart medications, such as those used for blood pressure or cholesterol management, may not produce immediate symptoms,” said Dr. Kapadia. “However, not taking prescribed medication correctly can have serious long-term consequences on heart health.”  

Commonly cited reasons for not taking their medication as prescribed include:  

• Simply forgot (59%) 

• Feeling depressed or experiencing mental health issues (17%) 

• Feeling healthy (16%)  

• Disliking being on so many medications (15%) 

• Medication was too expensive (11%) 

The survey also found that while most Americans know whether heart disease runs in their family (90%), many are unaware of genetic factors that can play a role in heart health, such as lipoprotein(a).  

Lipoprotein(a) is a key genetic marker for heart disease risk, and lifestyle changes cannot alter its levels. For those with family history of heart disease, doctors recommend getting levels checked annually with a blood test.  

The survey found that 72% of Americans incorrectly believe that Lp(a) levels are largely determined by lifestyle factors, and only 20% said they’ve had their Lp(a) level checked.  

The survey was conducted as part of Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute’s “Love your Heart” consumer education campaign in celebration of American Heart Month in February.   

For more information, go to: clevelandclinic.org/loveyourheart   

 Methodology  

An online survey was conducted among a national sample consisting of 1,000 Americans, 18 years of age and older. The sample was balanced to be nationally representative according to the Census based on age, gender, region, education, income, race/ethnicity and urban/rural residency. The survey was fielded between October 18-29, 2024 in partnership with Savanta. The margin of error at the 95% confidence level is ±3.1 percentage points for the national sample.