Heart disease deaths in the US have decreased significantly over the past 50 years, while chronic heart conditions have seen a sharp rise. According to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s WONDER database, from 1970 to 2022, heart disease accounted for 41% of all deaths, down to 24%. The decline is largely attributed to an almost 90% decrease in heart attack deaths.
New therapies such as heart stents, coronary artery bypass surgery, and cholesterol-lowering medications have contributed to this progress. Public health measures like bystander CPR training and efforts to lower smoking rates have also played a role.
However, despite the decline in overall heart disease mortality, chronic conditions remain a major concern. Fatalities from heart failure, arrhythmia, and hypertensive heart disease have risen by 146%, 106%, and 450% respectively over the same period. This trend suggests that while advances in treatment may be helping, new challenges need to be addressed to mitigate the impact of chronic heart conditions.
Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485759-heart-attacks-are-no-longer-the-leading-cause-of-death-in-the-us