Circulation. 1985 Apr;71(4):849A-50A.
Millions of Americans today are healthy, and other millions are alive, because of advances in the prevention and treatment of heart disease. Death rates from the major forms of heart disease have declined steadily since about mid-century, and the decline is continuing. Most recently, between 1972 and 1982, the death toll from cardiovascular disease declined 28 per cent. The decline is largely related to changes in life style and development of methods of treatment, many of which are based upon animal experimentation. These events encourage medical scientists to believe that most heart attacks, strokes and hypertension can ultimately be prevented or their onset can be deferred so that they do not cripple or kill people prematurely.
如今，数以百万计的美国人身体健康，还有数以百万计的人存活于世，这都得益于心脏病预防和治疗方面的进展。自大约本世纪中叶以来，主要心脏病形式的死亡率一直在稳步下降，而且这种下降仍在持续。最近，在1972年至1982年期间，心血管疾病的死亡人数下降了28%。这种下降在很大程度上与生活方式的改变以及治疗方法的发展有关，其中许多治疗方法都基于动物实验。这些情况促使医学科学家们相信，大多数心脏病发作、中风和高血压最终都可以预防，或者其发病可以推迟，从而不会过早地使人致残或死亡。
