More than 6 in 10 Americans will have cardiovascular disease by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association (AHA).
The report from CBS, published Tuesday in the journal Circulation, projects that cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, will affect more than 184 million adults by 2050, equating to about 61 percent of Americans. The prevalence of coronary disease among U.S. adults is expected to rise from 7.8 percent in 2020 to 9.2 percent in 2050, while heart failure will increase from 2.7 percent to 3.8 percent over the same period.
“As the American Heart Association enters its second century, our future is about improving yours,” said Nancy Brown, AHA CEO, in a news release. “It is crucial to quantify the full burden of cardiovascular disease so we can better inform the policies and community-level and health system interventions needed to change this current path.”
The report emphasizes the need for clinical and public health interventions to effectively manage, stem, and even reverse the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and established diseases expected to rise in the coming decades. by The Hill
“We recognize that the landscape of cardiovascular health will change over the next three decades due to rising healthcare costs, an aging population living longer, and increasing numbers of people from under-resourced populations,” Brown stated. “The findings of these important advisories predict a dire human and economic toll from heart disease and stroke if changes are not made. However, this does not have to be the reality of our future.”
In related news, a recent study found that fish oil may potentially raise the risk of stroke and heart conditions for those without a heart condition, despite being a source of omega-3 fatty acids and previously thought to help with cardiovascular disease.
