Trends and disparities in ischemic heart disease mortality in the United States: an analysis of CDC WONDER database, 1999-2020.

BACKGROUND

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) remains a leading cause of mortality globally and has a high prevalence in the USA, necessitating an understanding of long-term trends to inform interventions. Considering demographic and geographic disparities, this study examines IHD-related mortality trends among US adults from 1999 to 2020.

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate patterns and geographical variations in mortality associated with IHD among adults in the USA.

METHODS

Death certificates from the CDC WONDER database spanning from 1999 to 2020 were analyzed to investigate mortality related to IHD among adults aged 35 years and above. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100 000 persons and annual percent change were calculated and stratified by year, sex, race/ethnicity, and geographic region.

RESULTS

IHD caused 12 756 359 deaths among U.S. adults aged 35 and above from 1999 to 2020. Annual trends in AAMRs declined from 48.7 in 1999 to 28.9 in 2020, with notable fluctuations. Men consistently had higher AAMRs than women. Non-Hispanic Black or African American individuals exhibited the highest AAMRs. Geographically, significant disparities existed among states and regions, with the Northeast having the highest mortality. Nonmetropolitan areas consistently had higher AAMRs than metropolitan areas, showing varying trends over the study period.

CONCLUSION

Fluctuations in mortality trends among IHD patients were observed over the study duration, revealing significant disparities across demographic and geographic parameters. Targeted interventions are imperative to alleviate the burden of IHD and mitigate mortality rates in the USA.