Declining myocardial infarction mortality in young and middle-aged Americans and impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality among young and middle-aged individuals in the United States (US). Though AMI mortality overall has been decreasing in the US, contemporary trends in AMI-related mortality in the young and middle-aged population and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these trends are unknown.

METHODS

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database was used to analyze death certificates from 1999 to 2023 for AMI-related deaths among the US population aged 25-64. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 people and associated annual percent changes (APCs) were calculated using Joinpoint regression analysis. Mortality trends were stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, census region, and state for comparative analysis.

RESULTS

From 1999 to 2023, there were 970,454 AMI-related deaths among U.S. adults aged 25-64 years. The annual number of AMI-related deaths decreased from 44,040 in 1999 to 31,522 in 2023. The overall AAMR per 100,000 decreased from 31.02 deaths (95 % confidence interval [CI] 30.73-31.31) in 1999 to 15.29 (95 % CI 15.11-15.46) in 2023 (average APC -2.92 %, 95 % CI -3.22 to -2.75). The AAMR per 100,000 declined at a faster rate from 31.02 in 1999 to 19.57 in 2010 (1999-2010, APC -4.26), followed by a slower rate from 19.57 in 2010 to 16.67 in 2019 (2010-2019, APC -1.41). The declining trend was disrupted by a transient increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a peak AAMR of 19.73 (95 % CI, 19.53 to 19.93) in 2021 (2019-2021, APC 8.52). The declining trend resumed from 2021 to 2023, with AAMR decreasing to its lowest levels of 15.29 in 2023 (2021-2023, APC -12.58). Heterogeneity across demographic and regional groups narrowed during these 25 years. However, disparities are still prevalent, with men, non-Hispanic (NH) Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, and residents of the Southern United States having higher mortality rates.

CONCLUSION

AMI-related mortality declined significantly from 1999 through 2023 in the young and middle-aged population of the US. AMI-related mortality rates increased transiently during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the declining trend resumed in 2022. Differences across demographic and regional subgroups narrowed; however, disparities remain prevalent and require comprehensive efforts to improve cardiovascular health, outcomes, and health equity among the young and middle-aged populations of the US.