Deaths from heart attacks have fallen in the United States but new cardiovascular threats arise

The deaths of heart attacks have fallen in recent years, but other types of cardiovascular disease still represent a significant threat.

A new study by the American Heart Association (AHA) found that overall death rates related to heart disease has decreased by 66%and that heart attack deaths have dropped by almost 90%.

Although heart attacks are no longer the most fatal form of heart disease, there have been increases in other types: heart failure, arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat) and hypertensive heart disease (long -term blood pressure).

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The findings were published in the journal Peer-Reviewed of the American Heart Association.

In the study, researchers analyzed more than 50 years of data from the Centers of the United States for the control and prevention of diseases (CDC), focusing on the death of heart disease between adults of 25 and older.

In 1970, heart attacks, also known as ischemic heart disease, represented more than half (54%) of all deaths from heart disease, found the study.

From 2022, only 29% of the deaths from heart disease were caused by heart attacks.

However, other types of deaths from heart disease, such as heart failure, heart disease and hypertensive arrhythmia, have increased during this period of time.

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By 2022, these other types were responsible for 47% of deaths from heart disease, up to 9% in 1970, according to the study.

“This change in distribution in the types of heart disease that the people were dying was very interesting for us,” said the first study, Sara King, MD, a second -year internal medicine resident in the Stanford School of Medicine in Stanford, California, in the statement.

“This evolution of the last 50 years reflects incredible successes in the way in which heart attacks and other types of ischemic heart disease are managed,” he continued.

“However, the substantial increase in deaths from other types of heart conditions, including heart failure and arrhythmias, poses emerging challenges that the medical community has to face.”

“Increasing other types of heart disease that cause death has compensated for death victories by heart attacks.”

The arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeat, occur when the electrical impulses in the heart are too fast, slow or erratic, according to the AHA. A common example of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation (AFIB), which begins in the upper chambers of the heart.

Cardiac failure is defined as a “chronic condition where the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body for blood and oxygen”.

Hypertensive heart disease describes the heart damage caused by high -term and non -addressed blood pressure, said AHA.

Sadiya S. Khan, MD, cardiologist and associate professor at the Northern University -Chicago west, did not participate in the study, but instead commented on the “important analysis”.

“Fortunately, this study suggests significant progress in an avoidable cause of death: heart attacks,” Fox News Digital told Fox.

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“Unfortunately, he suggests that there is a burning crisis of other types of deaths from heart disease that may be partly related to heart attacks, but they talk about the growing burden of obesity that produces more heart failure and dead -related dead.”

“Increasing other types of heart disease that cause death has compensated for death victories by heart attacks.”

Why do the decrease in heart attacks?

The researchers presented several possible reasons for decreasing deaths from heart attacks, mainly the advances in the treatment for sudden and acute cardiac events.

“From the establishment and the increased use of the bycor of the Bystander and the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDS) to treat heart detention outside the hospital environment, until the creation of care systems that promote early recognition of quick and fast medical intervention to treat heart attack who were previously considered a death sentence, “King said in launch.

Researchers also presented several medical advances, such as the coronary artery graft, cardiac image and many new medicines for heart disease.

Modifications to healthy lifestyle, such as quitting, exercising regularly and managing cholesterol and blood pressure, have also contributed to small deaths of cardiac attack, according to AHA.

Khan added: “It is important to keep in mind that this does not mean that the heart attack has not yet been the driver, if someone with a heart attack developed heart failure and is now called death from heart failure.”

Risk factors remain

Despite the improvements, researchers warned that several other risk factors of heart disease, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and physical inactivity, continue to feed cases.

Obesity, in particular, has increased from 15% to 40% during the study time, and type 2 diabetes affects almost half of North -Americans, according to the report.

Increasing life expectancy is another factor: since people live longer, it is more likely that a larger aging population will experience various types of heart disease.

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“We have gained great battles against heart attacks; but the war against heart disease is not over,” King said. “Now we have to face heart failure and other chronic conditions that affect people as they grow old.”

“The next heart health border must focus on preventing heart attacks and also to help aging people with healthier hearts and prevent chronic heart conditions later in life.”

AHA calculates the health of the heart based on an individual’s score for what he calls “the essential life 8”.

Those who score in these eight areas are, on average, six years younger biologically than their real age.

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Here are the eight behaviors of the optimal choir’s lifestyle for the health.

1. Eats better
2. Be more active
3. Stop tobacco
4. Sleeping healthy
5. Manage weight
6. Cholesterol control
7. Manage blood sugar
8. Manage blood pressure

Potential limitations

The researchers noted several limitations of their study, including that they did not analyze data by age, sex, race, ethnicity, region or urbanization.

There could also be possible inconsistencies and “disorders” of data over the years.

“We have gained great battles against heart attacks; but the war against heart disease is not over.”

It is also possible that the “true load” of heart attacks is “despised” in findings, according to researchers.

“Some conditions that include heart failure, cardiomiopathy and arrhythmias, and in particular ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac arrest, they can be too simplistic,” they wrote. “Many of these cases probably have underlying causes that cannot be accurately differentiated by current or previous Codes or ICD (International Classification of Diseases).”

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Khan said that despite the decrease in direct heart deaths, heart disease in general are the leading cause of mortality in the United States, representing more than 900,000 deaths in 2022.