WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The American Heart Association's latest report projects that by 2050, 61% of American adults will have some form of cardiovascular disease. The report highlights various cardiovascular conditions, including heart disease and stroke, and emphasizes that high blood pressure is a major contributing risk factor. Cardiologist and health economist Dhruv S. Kazi predicts a significant surge in high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes prevalence.
Excluding high blood pressure, the report indicates that total cardiovascular disease diagnoses are expected to increase from 11.3% to 15%, impacting 28 million to 45 million adults. Additionally, stroke cases are projected to almost double from 10 million to nearly 20 million adults. Furthermore, the report predicts increases in coronary heart disease and heart failure cases, while foreseeing a decrease in high cholesterol diagnoses.
The report also highlights disparities in cardiovascular disease prevalence among different racial and ethnic groups, noting that Black adults are projected to have the highest rates of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Moreover, the economic burden of cardiovascular disease is estimated to surge to $1.8 trillion by 2050, almost tripling the costs compared to 2020. Factors contributing to this substantial economic impact include rising healthcare costs and indirect costs such as lost productivity due to disability or premature death.
Despite these projections, there are positive trends with more U.S. adults adopting healthier behaviors promoted by the American Heart Association. The report suggests that interventions targeting risk factors could lead to significant reductions in heart disease and stroke cases by 2050, potentially preventing millions of cardiovascular events and deaths annually.
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