Heart Failure Deaths Surging Among Young Americans

Heart-failure-related cardiovascular death is on the rise in the US, especially among younger adults, finds a new study.

Despite notable advances in medical and surgical treatments more US adults are dying from heart failure now than a decade ago, and the sharpest rise in mortality is happening among middle-aged and younger adults, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Death rates due to heart failure have been increasing since 2012, said the study.

Congestive Heart Failure (Congestive Cardiac Failure) Current Management
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart fails to work adequately as a pump that can deliver oxygen rich blood to the body.

‘Heart failure is killing more young Americans, which is a disturbing trend driven by the obesity epidemic. However, following a healthy lifestyle, engaging in regular physical activity and consuming a healthy, well-balanced diet can protect from developing heart failures.’
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"The success of the last three decades in improving heart failure death rates is now being reversed, and it is likely due to the obesity and diabetes epidemics," said Sadiya Khan, Assistant Professor at Northwestern University in the US.

"We focused on patients with heart failure because they have the highest mortality related to cardiovascular death," she said.

An estimated six million adults in the US have heart failure which is the number one reason older adults are admitted to the hospital, Khan said.

Diabetes May Cause Heart Failure: Here�s Why
New study sheds light on how diabetes causes heart failure. Methylglyoxal (MG) is a glycolysis byproduct which is accelerated under diabetic conditions, modifies the cardiac myofilament more in diabetic heart failure patients.

For the study, researchers used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research, which includes the underlying and contributing cause of death from all death certificates in the US between 1999 to 2017 for 47,728,569 individuals.

Simply put, heart failure is when the heart muscle doesn't function properly in its squeezing or relaxing functions.

Genetic Risk of Heart Failure Highlighted in New Study
Familial risk of heart failure: There is limited understanding of genetic mechanisms leading to heart failure. Though the cardiomyopathies are fairly well documented, we need more studies on the heritability of heart failure. Understanding this will go a long way in improving public health.

"To combat this disturbing trend, we need to focus on improving the control of risk factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes," said Khan.

"Healthy lifestyle changes promoting a normal body mass index also can protect from developing heart failure as well as engaging in regular physical activity and consuming a healthy, well-balanced diet," she added.

More Women Than Men Die Due To Heart Failure
Hospitalization rates as well as deaths due to heart failure have gone up in women, while there has been a decline of these in men, finds a recent study.

Source-IANS