Hundreds of thousands of Americans die from heart disease each year.1 To reduce mortality related to heart disease, physicians must share decision-making with patients and develop appropriate treatment plans that address risk factors while also taking patient preferences into account. This requires a thorough understanding of recent heart disease statistics. Specific heart disease statistics can inform patient interactions and help select treatments. Here are 10 key heart disease statistics to be aware of.
1. Approximately 1 in 20 U.S. adults have coronary artery disease
Approximately 5% of Americans over the age of 20 have coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common type of heart disease.1 CAD is caused by atherosclerosis and increases the risk of myocardial infarction.2 In 2020, approximately 244.1 million people worldwide were living with CAD.3
2. Heart disease costs the United States nearly $240 billion annually.
Heart disease poses a significant economic burden to the U.S. health care system. It cost approximately $239.9 billion annually from 2018 to 2019.1 This total includes costs for services, medications, and premature death.
3. Heart disease is the leading cause of death
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1 Every 33 seconds someone dies from cardiovascular disease in the United States.1
4. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in nearly all racial and ethnic groups
According to CDC data, heart disease is the leading cause of death for patients of nearly all racial and ethnic groups.1 The proportion of all deaths due to heart disease is:1:
- Black (non-Hispanic): 22.6%
- Asian: 18.6%
- Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 18.3%
- White (non-Hispanic): 18.0%
- American Indian or Alaska Native: 15.5%
- Hispanic: 11.9%
5. Heart disease causes approximately 700,000 deaths each year in the United States.
According to the CDC, one in five deaths in the United States is thought to be due to heart disease. 1 Approximately 695,000 Americans died from heart disease in 2021. 1 In 2021, approximately 375,500 people in the United States died from CAD, the most common heart disease.1
6. Mortality rates from heart failure have decreased.
In a 2022 study that analyzed age-standardized mortality rates from the CDC’s WONDER database, Woodruff and colleagues found that heart disease mortality rates decreased by 9.8% from 2010 to 2019.Four This may be, in part, a result of the fact that smoking rates have decreased significantly in recent years, even as obesity rates in the United States continue to rise.5,6
7. Almost half of Americans have at least one major risk factor for heart disease.
According to CDC data, 47% of Americans have at least one of the three major risk factors for developing heart disease: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking.7 Clinicians can let patients know which risk factors are within their control and help them set achievable goals to address those factors.
Modifiable risk factors include:8:
- Diabetes mellitus;
- high blood pressure;
- unhealthy eating habits.
- obesity;
- Elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.
- Exposure to tobacco smoke and second-hand smoke.and
- A life without physical activity.
8. The heritability of coronary artery disease is approximately 32%.
Genetics also plays a role in the development of heart disease. In a study that evaluated various genetic factors that may contribute to heart disease, Zeng et al. estimated that the heritability of CAD was approximately 32%.9 Although patients cannot control their genetics, doctors can take additional steps to help patients reduce their risk.
9. Healthy lifestyle modifications can reduce your risk of experiencing coronary artery disease by almost 50%
Patients can significantly reduce their risk of heart disease by making lifestyle changes. Khera et al. evaluated the incidence of CAD events (myocardial infarction, cardiac revascularization, or death from cardiac causes) in those who adhered to a favorable lifestyle and those who did not.Ten A good lifestyle is defined as adhering to three or more of the following:Ten:
- no smoking.
- Maintain a healthy weight (BMI <30 kg/m3)2);
- Perform regular physical activity (at least once a week).and
- Eat a healthy diet (high in fruits, nuts, vegetables, whole grains, and fish, and low in refined grains, processed meats, red meat, sugary drinks, trans fats, and sodium).
Compared with unfavorable lifestyles, favorable lifestyles were found to have a 45% to 47% lower relative risk of experiencing a CAD event.Ten
Physicians should educate patients about the importance of making these healthy lifestyle changes and encourage them to do so.
10. Even small changes in diet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular death.
In a meta-analysis of 16 prospective cohort studies, Wang et al. calculated that for each additional serving of fruits and vegetables that participants consumed per day, their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease decreased by about 4%, on average.12
Patient education and awareness
The results of a study of 100 patients with cardiovascular disease showed that patients who received education about proper nutrition and physical activity had more It suggests that you can make better lifestyle choices. 13
Patients may find it difficult to make several major lifestyle changes at once. However, doctors can encourage patients to start by following the “Her ABCS of Heart Health” outlined in Million Hearts 2027, an initiative led by the CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).14:
- A: Aspirin therapy (if recommended).
- B: Blood pressure control.
- C: Cholesterol control.and
- S: Smoking (provide support to quit smoking).
read more: Heart Failure Awareness Week 2024
medicines and procedures
Treatment for heart disease primarily addresses high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other underlying risk factors. Drugs used to treat heart disease include:15:
- aspirin;
- Statins;
- Calcium channel blockers;
- Beta blockers;
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.and
- Angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARBs).
Surgical treatment may be necessary in patients with heart damage or atherosclerosis. Stent placement, angioplasty, or bypass surgery may be performed to prevent life-threatening complications.
Innovation in heart disease management
Artificial intelligence and digital health monitoring can help clinicians collect and analyze patient health data to diagnose and treat heart disease early. 16,17 Another potential advance is a “polypill” that combines aspirin, an ACE inhibitor, and a statin.18 In a randomized controlled trial, treatment with polypill significantly reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events compared with usual care.18
Medical policy and heart disease
Government agencies and public health experts are taking action to address heart disease. Million Hearts has set a goal of averting 1 million preventable cardiovascular disease events by 2027, making a huge impact on these heart disease statistics. 19 Million Hearts wants to optimize heart disease care by implementing evidence-based approaches and addressing health inequalities through changes in health policy, practice, and processes. 19
Physicians should continue to support and participate in Million Hearts and other programs that provide resources to uninsured and low-income patients. In doing so, physicians can play an active role in reducing the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of heart disease.
References:
1. Heart Disease Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated on May 15, 2023. Accessed November 17, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
2. Coronary artery disease (CAD). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated on July 19, 2021. Accessed November 17, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/coronary_ad.htm
3. Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, et al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2022 Update: American Heart Association Report. Circulation. Published online on January 26, 2022. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052 Published amendments will be posted in the circular. 2022;146(10):e141. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001074
4. Woodruff RC, Tong X, Jackson SL, Rowstalot FV, Vaughan AS. Abstract 9853: Trends in national mortality rates from heart disease in the United States from 2010 to 2020. Circulation. 2022;146:A9853.
5. Overall tobacco trends. American Lung Association. Accessed November 17, 2023. https://www.lung.org/research/trends-in-lung-disease/tobacco-trends-brief/overall-tobacco-trends
6. Facts about obesity in adults. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated May 17, 2022. Accessed November 17, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/social.html
7. Know your risk for heart disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated March 21, 2023. Accessed November 17, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/risk_factors.htm
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. heart disease and stroke. Updated on September 8, 2022. Accessed November 17, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/heart-disease-stroke.htm
9. Zeng L, Talukdar HA, Koplev S, et al. Contribution of gene regulatory networks to the heritability of coronary artery disease. J Am Col Cardiol. 2019;73(23):2946-2957.
10. Kela AV, Emdin CA, Drunk I, et al. Genetic risks, adherence to a healthy lifestyle, and coronary artery disease. N English J Medicine 2016;375(24):2349-2358.
11. Yeh J. Change your lifestyle to lower your risk of heart disease. Harvard Health Publishing. Published and updated on November 4, 2019. Accessed November 17, 2023. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/lifestyle-changes-to- lower-heart-disease-risk-2019110218125
12. Wang X, Ouyang Y, Liu J, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. B.M.J. 2014;349:g4490.
13. Podborika E, Bektesi T, Orgi M, Caro I. Education for patients living with heart disease. Mater Sociomed. 2021;33(1):10-15.
14. The ABCs of heart health. Million hearts. Updated on July 13, 2020. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://millionhearts.hhs.gov/data-reports/factsheets/ABCS.html
15. Types of heart medications. American Heart Association. Updated on October 5, 2023. Accessed January 23, 2024.
16. Duffy G, Chen PP, Yuan N, et al. High-throughput and highly accurate phenotypic analysis of left ventricular hypertrophy using cardiovascular deep learning. JAMA Cardiol. 2022;7(4):386-395.
17. Santo K, Redfern J. Digital health innovations to improve cardiovascular disease care. Representative of Kerr Atherome Claire. 2020;22(12):71.
18. Castellano JM, Pocock SJ, Butt DL, et al. Polypill strategies in secondary cardiovascular prevention. N English J Medicine 2022;387(11):967-977.
19. About Million Hearts 2027. Million hearts. Updated on December 16, 2022. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://millionhearts.hhs.gov/about-million-hearts/index.html
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