50 Years of Much Improved Heart Disease

Heart attack rates have decreased in the U.S. during the last decade.  Furthermore, death rates from heart disease and stroke have been decreasing steadily over the last 50 years in the U.S.; coronary heart disease death rates are down by 50%.

Heart disease remains the No.1 cause of death in the U.S.  The most common heart condition leading to death is coronary heart disease, which is caused by atherosclerosis of the main arteries feeding blood to the heart muscle.  A common term for that condition is hardening-of-the-arteries.  The process starts in childhood.  Decades ago, autopsy studies of young men (18 to 20-year-olds who died in military battles) revealed significant degrees of atherosclerosis had already developed in many of them.  Coroners found arterial plaque build-up visible to the naked eye.

Flipping the coin back to the positive side . . . .

Autopsy data from 2001 document a reduced prevalence of heart atherosclerosis in young and middle-aged U.S. adults over the last half of the 20th century.  And the incidence of coronary heart disease decreased in the U.S. from 1971 to 1998 (the latest reliable data), when adjusted for age. 
[Sure, we have more heart disease now compared to 1950 since the population then was 152 million, and now it's 309 million.  That's why the data has to be adjusted for age.]

Why Has Heart Disease Been Getting Better?

Undoubtedly many factors are at play.  Top possibilities are reduced rates of smoking, better detection and treatments for high blood pressure, better care for heart attacks and heart failure, open heart bypass operations, balloon angioplasty, intensive care units, heart specialty centers, statin drugs, and good ol' aspirin, .






What About the Future?

In view of the obesity epidemic that started 40 years ago, some experts are predicting that the our generation will be the first in American history to have a shorter life expectancy than the previous.  That's because obesity is linked to higher rates of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.  ed

It is predicted that advances in medical science, technology, and healthcare will overcome the adverse effects of overweight and obesity, if citizens can afford it.

Why not reduce your chances of becoming a cardiac statistic by exercising regularly, keeping your weight and blood pressures at healthy levels, and not smoking?