High blood pressure, obesity, and other risk factors continue to contribute to high rates of heart disease and stroke around the world, including in the United States, where the annual death toll from cardiovascular disease approaches 1 million.
That’s according to the American Heart Association’s annual exhaustive statistical report detailing what we know about heart and brain health.
“Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2024: A Report on U.S. and World Data by the American Heart Association,” published Wednesday in the AHA journal Circulation, details advances in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, including reductions in smoking. There is. But Dr. Seth Martin, a cardiologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore and chairman of the 43-member group that wrote the report, says major advances in ways to prevent heart disease and stroke have He said he has not been able to enjoy the benefits.
“We know a lot about what works to improve patient outcomes, but we still have a long way to go to translate that into everyday practice,” said Martin, who is also a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. There is a gap.” “There is a strong need to innovate implementation to close these gaps.”
Here are highlights from reports on some of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
high blood pressure
Nearly half of U.S. adults (more than 122 million people) have high blood pressure (also known as high blood pressure). This condition damages and weakens the arteries, making them more susceptible to rupture and blockage. It can cause heart attacks, strokes, and other problems.
Teens and adults have high blood pressure if their systolic or upper reading is at least 130 mmHg or their diastolic or lower reading is 80 mmHg or higher. Children can also develop high blood pressure.
Dr. Latha Palaniappan, an internist and professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University in California, said that having high blood pressure in childhood can have serious health consequences in early adulthood. Mr. Palaniappan is the vice-chairman of the report writing committee.
“In the long term, we may be able to start medication earlier, and we need to pay closer attention to stroke, heart failure, and other problems at a younger age for decades to come,” she says.
To lower blood pressure, the AHA recommends eating a balanced diet low in salt, limiting alcohol intake, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, smoking cessation, and managing stress. We recommend that you take prescribed medications.
physical activity
The report cites 2020-2021 data showing only 15% of teens meet federal physical activity guidelines of one hour or more per day.
Health among adults is improving, but one in four still meets the guidelines for 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week and 2 or more days of muscle-strengthening activity per week. only.
nutrition
“Most of the U.S. population does not follow healthy eating patterns,” Palaniappan says.
In fact, of all the cardiovascular health measures listed in the report, diet was one of the worst. Based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2013 to 2018, dietary scores averaged 24 to 48 on a scale of 0 to 100 for different groups.
Federal dietary guidelines recommend a dietary pattern that includes nutritious foods and drinks, lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts and seeds, while limiting sodium, added sugars, saturated fat, and alcohol. We recommend that you follow.
obesity
The report found that 42% of American adults and 20% of children and teens are obese.
“The percentage of people in the United States who are overweight or obese has steadily increased in recent years, and this is very concerning,” Martin said.
“This report shows that we need to promote healthier behaviors from a young age and that we need to incorporate evidence-based weight loss interventions at scale.” said. “Obesity is a big problem that requires a multifaceted solution.”
tobacco use
The United States has made great strides in reducing smoking, with smoking among American youth and adults consistently declining in recent decades.
However, the report found that many young people are turning to e-cigarettes. Among high school students, one in seven reported using e-cigarettes, especially flavored ones, in the past 30 days.
A growing body of research suggests that e-cigarettes are harmful to human health, and much remains unknown about how they affect the heart and lungs.
“We need to be extremely vigilant about the health effects of e-cigarettes,” Palaniappan said. “We are going in the wrong direction.”
what’s next
Risk factors for heart disease and stroke affect some groups more than others. For example, the prevalence of high blood pressure among black Americans is among the highest in the world, the report said.
“There are clear signs that we need to redouble our efforts and really build on what we’ve learned over the last century when it comes to cardiovascular disease risk factors and disparities,” Martin said. “But we also have to develop new and creative approaches.”
And it will be important to ensure that no one is left out of these strategies, Palaniappan added.
“We support rural and underserved communities in our country who are affected by social determinants of health that negatively impact health, such as low socioeconomic status and lack of access to education and health care. “We need to ensure that support reaches every corner of the population, including people, healthy food, and safe neighborhoods,” she said.
