The line chart illustrates trends in cardiovascular disease mortality among male and female adults in the United States between 1979 and 2001, measured in thousands of deaths.
Overall, mortality rates for males showed a clear downward trend over the period, whereas figures for females generally increased despite some fluctuations. Throughout the years shown, men consistently recorded higher death rates than women.
In 1979, male deaths stood at just over 500 thousand, rising slightly in the early 1980s before declining steadily. By the early 1990s, the figure had fallen to around 450 thousand and then remained relatively stable, ending at approximately 445 thousand in 2001.
In contrast, female mortality began at about 470 thousand in 1979 and rose gradually during the 1980s, reaching around 500 thousand by the mid-1990s. After peaking at roughly 515 thousand in the late 1990s, the rate decreased slightly towards the end of the period.