Heart Failure Rates In The US Soars

by Medindia Content Team on February 7, 2006 at 10:37 AM

A new study has revealed that there has been an increase in heart failure cases among the elderly, but the mortality rates are higher among women, with men surviving for longer periods. There has been a 14% increase in the incidence of heart failures during the 1990 to 1994 period when compared to the 1970 to 1974 period, in the case of people aged over 65 years, according to the study.

The chances of heart failure occurring among people aged over 65 years is on the higher side, according to the research study of William Barker which the American Heart Association Journal had published. There was however a 33% decline in the 5-year adjusted death rates where men are concerned, and a 24% fall in the case of women. In the case of women, the survival rates are lesser due to the prevalence of co-existing ailments like cancer, diabetes, and pulmonary disease, in addition to their frailty.

The symptoms of heart failure are fatigue and shortness of breath. Cardiovascular disease is reported to be the number one killer in the US. When a person crosses the age of 50, the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases are 51.7% in the case of men, and in the case of women it is 39.2%. Diabetes is seen to be factor which is most likely to trigger the disease. Efforts towards preventing the disease like giving up smoking, eating well, and taking proper exercises should commence much before one reaches the age of 50 years.

The research has taken the issue of women's heart condition more seriously than the previous researches, and contributes towards enabling faster diagnoses in the case of women. Identifying heart ailments in the case of women is also reported to be more difficult than in the case of men, according to the study. Cardiovascular diseases is expected to cost the nation an amount of $403 billion in 2006, and by the year 2050, a 130% increase in deaths is expected from heart disease in the country.