J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2026 May 24. doi: 10.1007/s11239-026-03329-w. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) are major contributors to cardiovascular mortality in U.S. adults. This retrospective study aims to examine mortality trends and demographic disparities between 1999 and 2020. However, both diseases have been studied individually, but their combined temporal trends remain unexplored. The CDC WONDER database was used to obtain data for adults aged ≥ 45 years. AAMRs per 100,000 population and APC were calculated using Joinpoint regression, stratified by demographic, geographic, and urbanization categories. PVD and IHD together reported a total of 184,780 deaths. The overall AAMR increased from 6.9 to 8.9 per 100,000 between 1999 and 2020. Mortality rates were higher in men (8.8) compared to females (6.0) throughout the study period. Black or African American individuals had the highest AAMR (8.9), demonstrating a current surge in 2018. Similarly, non-metropolitan areas consistently experienced greater AAMR (8.5) than metropolitan areas (6.9), with a steep rise after 2018 (APC = 14.72%). Furthermore, mortality was greatest in the South; however, the Midwest region reported the highest AAMRs (8). Additionally, individuals aged 85 + had the highest CMR (44.6). Lastly, Vermont had the highest AMMRs (13.6) among other states. PVD- and IHD-related mortality depicted a recent steep increase despite an initial decline, with considerable differences across demographic and regional groups. This highlights the importance of a direct call to action by expanding preventive care, spreading awareness, and early diagnosis with management to address these inequities and decrease the growing burden.
PMID:42177742 | DOI:10.1007/s11239-026-03329-w