A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that deaths from heart attacks have declined by nearly 90% over the last 50 years, marking a significant shift in the burden of heart disease. The study, which focused on people aged 25 and above between 1970 and 2022, revealed that heart disease accounted for approximately 31% of all deaths, with rates decreasing substantially from 41% to 24%.
Advances in technology, including improved cardiac imaging and coronary stenting, have been credited as key factors in reducing the risk of heart attacks. Additionally, medical therapies such as thrombolytics and aspirin have helped lower blockages.
However, despite this decline in fatal heart attacks, deaths from other types of heart diseases, including heart failure, arrhythmias, and hypertensive heart disease, have increased by 81% over the same period. Arrhythmias saw a particularly significant rise, with an age-adjusted death rate that increased by 450%.
The study’s authors emphasize that while there have been successes in managing heart attacks and other ischemic heart diseases, emerging challenges must be addressed due to the substantial increase in deaths from these conditions. The rising prevalence of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and hypertension has contributed to an ongoing burden of heart disease, particularly related to heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, and arrhythmias.
While progress has been made, the study highlights that Americans are still not out of the woods when it comes to heart disease, with these conditions remaining the leading cause of death in the US.
Source: https://people.com/heart-attack-deaths-have-decreased-but-there-is-a-catch-11762813