The good news is that overall heart disease death rates over the past five decades dropped by 66% in American adults age 25 and older, according to a new study. Even better, deaths from heart attacks dropped by nearly 90%.
The bad news is that the likelihood of significant disability from a heart attack or heart failure is still high. Deaths from heart failure increased 146% over the same time period, while death due to persistent high blood pressure rose by 106%.
Changes in cardiovascular risk factors are contributing to the rise in certain types of heart disease, the study said. Obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, poor food choices and physical inactivity have skyrocketed over the past 50 years.
Doctors are able to treat people with a number of medications for blood pressure, fluid retention and high cholesterol to prevent fatal heart attacks. But many never feel their best anyway.
This is good news for shareholders in Big Pharma companies that manufacture these lifelong prescriptions.
Wendy