The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released figures that include a detailed description of strokes and heart disease statistics for Tallapoosa County. The report confirms that Southerners and blacks have a higher risk of death from a stroke or heart disease.

According to the CDC, strokes affect 700,000 Americans every year, with 165,000 dying as a result. Tallapoosa County has a stroke mortality rate of 155 per every 100,000 residents, which is 20 above the state average. Statistics are based on studies the CDC followed from 1991 to 1998 for individuals age 35 and up.