Overview

• Analysis of mortality data from 1970 to 2022 shows that overall heart disease deaths in US adults fell 66%, driven by a nearly 90% reduction in heart attack fatalities.
• Deaths from non-ischemic conditions such as heart failure, hypertensive heart disease and arrhythmias increased 81%, with arrhythmia fatalities up 450%.
• Advances in emergency response and treatments, including bystander CPR, stents, bypass surgery, statins and smoking restrictions, have dramatically improved survival after acute cardiac events.
• Rising prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes and hypertension, along with an aging population, has contributed to the uptick in chronic heart disease mortality.
• Researchers and cardiologists emphasize that future efforts must focus on long-term management and prevention of chronic cardiovascular conditions to sustain progress.