News: AMI mortality rates decrease 89% from 1970 to 2022, AHA report shows

Overall age-adjusted heart disease mortality decreased 66% from 1970 to 2022, according to a new study published by the American Heart Association (AHA).

The study examined long-term heart disease trends and subtypes in the United States among male adults aged 25 and older.

According to the study, from 1970 to 2022, the U.S. population increased from 108.9 million to 229.0 million with life expectancy also increasing from 70.9 years to 77.5 years. During this same time period, there were a total of 119,152,492 deaths, 31% of which were caused by heart disease (32,276,835).

In the 1970, there were 733,273 heart diseases deaths, 91% of which were ischemic (666,257), and 9% of which were caused by varying other heart diseases. By contrast, in 2022, there were 701,443 heart disease deaths—a 17% differential—of which 53% were ischemic (371,360), and 47% were caused by varying other heart diseases.

“Over this period, we observed a remarkable 89% decline in age‐adjusted mortality from acute myocardial injury [AMI] and an 81% decline in age‐adjusted mortality from all ischemic heart disease,” the researchers said.

“In contrast,” they continued, “we found that there has been an 81% increase in age‐adjusted mortality from other heart disease subtypes, most significantly heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, and arrhythmia, which have increased to represent 12%, 13%, and 4%, respectively, of the total heart disease mortality in 2022.”

Reflecting on this dual-pronged phenomenon, the researchers argued that while the dramatic decrease in ischemic heart mortality can be attributed to improved diagnostic capabilities, early intervention strategies, and the management of clinical risk factors; the increase in heart mortality due to heart disease subtypes and associated diseases must be further investigated.

Editor’s note: To read the AHA study, click here.