Mariell Jessup M.D. FAHA, Chief Science and Medical Officer of the American Heart Association and past president of the American Heart Association, discusses the AHA's Heart and Stroke Statistics — 2019 Update.  

copyright American Heart Association

"So while the news about the number of people in this country with hypertension is disturbing, there is some good news. We've noticed both children and adults are more physically active. They've taken heed to our recommendation to get more physical activity, and there's a marked reduction in the number of people smoking. There's still way too many people in this country who are smoking cigarettes, and there is a growing, disturbing number of young people who are using non-traditional forms of nicotine, such as in e-cigarettes and vaping. We don't know all the impact of those devices yet, but we're concerned that e-cigarettes and vaping may be just as dangerous as cigarettes."