November 29, 2022 — Deaths from heart disease and stroke among adults living in the United States have declined since 2010. But the COVID-19 pandemic reversed that downward trend in 2020, new research shows.
Researchers say it was as if COVID wiped out 5 years of progress, pushing rates back to levels seen in 2015.
Non-Hispanic blacks and those under the age of 75 have been affected the most, with the pandemic reversing 10 years of progress in those groups.
Rebecca C. Woodruff, Ph.D., Present the results of this study At the 2022 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.
She said the death rate from heart disease has been declining for decades in the United States because of better detection of risk factors, such as high blood pressure, and better treatments, such as statins for cholesterol.
The decline in deaths from heart disease from 1900 to 1999 “was recognized as a The most important public health achievements of the twentieth centurysaid Woodruff, an epidemiologist at the CDC.
Reversing this positive trend, she said, it shows that it is important for people to work with a healthcare provider to prevent and manage existing heart disease, even in difficult circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Woodruff advised that “everyone can improve and maintain cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by following the guidelines Essentials of Life American Heart Association 8 Eating better, being more active, quitting smoking, getting healthy sleep, managing weight, controlling cholesterol, managing blood sugar, and managing blood pressure.”
She stressed that “COVID-19 vaccines can help everyone, especially those with underlying heart disease or other health conditions, and protect people from severe COVID-19.”
The findings show “very disturbing changes” in the decline in deaths from heart disease over the past decade, says Andrew J. Einstein, MD, of Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City, who was not involved in this research.
The study findings emphasize that “as a society, we need to make efforts to ensure that all people participate in the health care system, with one goal of improving heart health outcomes, which worsened significantly in 2020,” he said.
“If you are not actively seeing a primary care provider, it is important to find someone with whom you can develop a good relationship and who can discuss heart-healthy living with you; check your blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol; ask you about your symptoms and screen you for disease early; and refer you to cardiac care.” More specialized as needed.
Some results of the study
The researchers analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control he wonders Database.
They identified adults 35 years of age or older who had heart disease as the cause of death.
They found that the number of people per 100,000 people who die from heart disease (the death rate from heart disease) decreased each year from 2010 to 2019, but rose in 2020, the first year of the pandemic.
This increase is observed in the total population, in men, in women, in all age groups, and in all Hispanic races and ethnic groups.
In the overall population, the death rate from heart disease decreased by 9.8% from 2010 to 2019. But this rate increased by 4.1% in 2020, returning to the rate it was in 2015.
Among non-Hispanic blacks, the death rate from heart disease decreased 10.4% from 2010 to 2019, but increased 11.2% in 2020, returning to the rate it was in 2010.
Similarly, among adults ages 35 to 54 and those ages 55 to 74, heart disease death rates decreased from 2010 to 2019 and increased in 2020 to rates higher than they were in 2010.
In 2020, the researchers said, about 7 years of progress was lost in decreasing heart death rates among men and 3 years of progress was lost among women.
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