American heart health worsening - Harvard Gazette

"Many other higher-income countries are grappling with rising obesity and diabetes, but the U.S. stands out for how consistently those risks translate into worse cardiovascular outcomes, and how wide the gaps are by income, race, ethnicity, and geography."

"Among other stark statistics, the paper showed that one in two U.S. adults suffer from high blood pressure - with little change between 2009 and 2023. Though interventions have improved, many who need help don't get it. The report states that only two in three American adults with hypertension, considered among the most dangerous cardiovascular risk factors, receive medical treatment, with no improvement in the figure since 2009-2010."

"There is growing concern about a worsening problem among younger adults with just-released research showing a sharp rise in hospital death rates from severe first heart attacks among those aged 18 to 54. Most of the deaths were men, but women succumbed at higher rates."

Cardiovascular treatments and prevention knowledge have significantly improved, yet the U.S. faces a paradoxical decline in cardiovascular health outcomes. One in two American adults suffer from high blood pressure with minimal improvement since 2009. Only two-thirds of adults with hypertension receive medical treatment, unchanged since 2009-2010. The problem is distinctly American, with wider health disparities than other high-income countries despite similar obesity and diabetes rates. Concerning trends include rising hospital death rates from severe first heart attacks among adults aged 18 to 54, with higher mortality rates among women. These disparities correlate with income, race, ethnicity, and geography, revealing a significant gap between available medical interventions and actual population health outcomes.

Read at Harvard Gazette