A new study, released today by the American Heart Association, projects that by 2035, cardiovascular disease , the most costly and prevalent killer, if left unchecked, will place a crushing economic and health burden on the nation’s financial and health care systems. According to the study, in the next two decades, the number of Americans with CVD will rise to 131.2 million – 45 percent of the total U.S. population – with costs expected to reach $1.1 trillion.