Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US and also the leading cause of death worldwide. More than half of the deaths that occur as a result of heart disease are in men. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US with around 611,105 deaths each year. Heart disease is a term used to describe several conditions, many of which are related to plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries. Other types of heart problems include angina, arrhythmias and heart failure.