Deaths From Heart Disease Down, Up for Blood Pressure, Irregular Heartbeat
Deaths From Heart Disease Down, Up for Blood Pressure, Irregular Heartbeat
Obesity and aging population may be contributing factors, researcher says
SUNDAY, Nov. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Deaths from heart disease are dropping, but deaths related to high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats are on the rise, a new government study finds.
From 2000 to 2010, the overall death rate from heart disease dropped almost 4 percent each year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers found. At the same time, death rates linked to high blood pressure-related heart disease increased 1.3 percent a year, according to the study. The researchers also found that deaths tied to irregular heartbeats rose 1 percent a year.
"While we are continuing to improve in the overall heart disease death rate, we still have considerable work to do," said lead researcher Matthew Ritchey, a CDC epidemiologist.
"During this 11-year period, more than 7 million heart disease-related deaths still occurred, including 600,000 deaths in 2010, making heart disease the leading cause of death in the United States," he said.
The study is published in the Nov. 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Findings were released early to coincide with a planned presentation Sunday at the American Heart Association (AHA) annual meeting in Chicago.
Heart disease is a broad term for a number of conditions affecting the heart. Coronary heart disease, which is caused by plaque build-up in the blood vessels, is one type of heart disease. Congestive heart failure is another type, and generally occurs when the heart muscle isn't strong enough to pump blood efficiently. Heart disease from the strain of high blood pressure is another type of heart disease, according to the study.
"Despite declines, coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of heart-disease-related death," Ritchey said. "In 2010, it accounted for about 64 percent of all heart-disease-related deaths," he said.
Heart disease also includes abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias). The normal beating of the heart relies on electrical impulses progressing in a particular pattern. When these impulses do not occur in the correct order, heartbeats become irregular.
Ritchey said the increase in deaths from arrhythmias might be due to the aging population and people living longer with heart failure, kidney disease and high blood pressure.
Deaths from High BP, Irregular Heartbeat Up
Obesity and aging population may be contributing factors, researcher says
SUNDAY, Nov. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Deaths from heart disease are dropping, but deaths related to high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats are on the rise, a new government study finds.
From 2000 to 2010, the overall death rate from heart disease dropped almost 4 percent each year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers found. At the same time, death rates linked to high blood pressure-related heart disease increased 1.3 percent a year, according to the study. The researchers also found that deaths tied to irregular heartbeats rose 1 percent a year.
"While we are continuing to improve in the overall heart disease death rate, we still have considerable work to do," said lead researcher Matthew Ritchey, a CDC epidemiologist.
"During this 11-year period, more than 7 million heart disease-related deaths still occurred, including 600,000 deaths in 2010, making heart disease the leading cause of death in the United States," he said.
The study is published in the Nov. 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Findings were released early to coincide with a planned presentation Sunday at the American Heart Association (AHA) annual meeting in Chicago.
Heart disease is a broad term for a number of conditions affecting the heart. Coronary heart disease, which is caused by plaque build-up in the blood vessels, is one type of heart disease. Congestive heart failure is another type, and generally occurs when the heart muscle isn't strong enough to pump blood efficiently. Heart disease from the strain of high blood pressure is another type of heart disease, according to the study.
"Despite declines, coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of heart-disease-related death," Ritchey said. "In 2010, it accounted for about 64 percent of all heart-disease-related deaths," he said.
Heart disease also includes abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias). The normal beating of the heart relies on electrical impulses progressing in a particular pattern. When these impulses do not occur in the correct order, heartbeats become irregular.
Ritchey said the increase in deaths from arrhythmias might be due to the aging population and people living longer with heart failure, kidney disease and high blood pressure.
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