US trends in premature heart disease mortality over the past 50 years: Where do we go from here?

Trends Cardiovasc Med. 2020 Aug;30(6):364-374. doi: 10.1016/j.tcm.2019.09.005. Epub 2019 Sep 27.

Abstract

Despite the premature heart disease mortality rate among adults aged 25-64 decreasing by 70% since 1968, the rate has remained stagnant from 2011 on and, in 2017, still accounted for almost 1-in-5 of all deaths among this age group. Moreover, these overall findings mask important differences and continued disparities observed by demographic characteristics and geography. For example, in 2017, rates were 134% higher among men compared to women and 87% higher among blacks compared to whites, and, while the greatest burden remained in the southeastern US, almost two-thirds of all US counties experienced increasing rates among adults aged 35-64 during 2010-2017. Continued high rates of uncontrolled blood pressure and increasing prevalence of diabetes and obesity pose obstacles for re-establishing a downward trajectory for premature heart disease mortality; however, proven public health and clinical interventions exist that can be used to address these conditions.

Keywords: Heart diseases; Mortality; Premature; Public health; Risk factors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Age of Onset
  • Female
  • Heart Diseases / diagnosis
  • Heart Diseases / ethnology
  • Heart Diseases / mortality*
  • Heart Diseases / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mortality / trends
  • Preventive Health Services / trends
  • Race Factors
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Sex Distribution
  • Sex Factors
  • Time Factors
  • United States / epidemiology