Doctors issue fresh warning over silent disease that kills more than cancer and dementia COMBINED

When you think of the biggest killers in America, you may assume cancer or dementia.

But experts are issuing fresh warnings about a disease which kills more than both of those conditions combined.

In 2022, there were nearly 1million deaths from coronoary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke – collectively referred to as cardiovascular disease – the equivalent of a death every 30 seconds.

Cancer, meanwhile, kills roughly 600,000 Americans per year, while dementia strikes down 288,000. 

Researchers from the American Heart Association say a lack of awareness compared to other diseases like cancer and an increase in risk factors may be to blame.

Additionally, heart disease can be a silent killer, lurking for decades before symptoms start to appear. 

The team also warned while deaths from heart disease may be starting to plateau for the first time since the pandemic, risk factors for the disease are on the rise.

Nearly half of US adults have high blood pressure, for example, and almost three-quarters are overweight or obese.

The experts warned if trends continue, two-thirds of US adults will become obese and suffer high blood pressure by 2050, further increasing their risk of heart disease. 

However, other risk factors like high cholesterol, smoking, and vaping have fallen.

Heart disease, also called cardiovascular disease, is a group of conditions that damage the heart and its blood vessels.

These include coronary artery disease – narrow or blocked arteries – heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and irregular rhythms called arrhythmias. 

The experts warned that while deaths from heart disease are ‘leveling off’ after the pandemic, ‘a lot more work’ is still needed to lower risk. 

The findings come amid a rise of heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues in young Americans. 

While some have been blamed on undiagnosed heart issues present from birth, others have been tied to lifestyle issues like obesity and viruses like Covid. 

Dr Keith Churchwell, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, said: ‘Those are alarming statistics to me – and they should be alarming for all of us, because it’s likely many among those whom we lose will be our friends and our loved ones.

‘Too many people are dying from heart disease and from stroke which remains the 5th leading cause of death. Together, they kill more people than all cancers and accidental deaths – the #2 and #3 causes of death – combined.’

The report, published in the journal Circulation, found 941,652 deaths were caused by cardiovascular disease in 2022, the latest data available.

This is a slight increase from 931,578 in 2021. 

However, the death rate decreased slightly from 233 per 100,000 in 2021 to 224 per 100,000 in 2022.

The team also found eating ‘excess’ calories – more calories than you burn – added up to 1,300 additional deaths per day, or 500,000 per year.  

Several risk factors for heart disease and stroke are also on the rise.

The report found 47 percent of US adults have high blood pressure, and 57 percent have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. 

While high blood pressure rates stayed the same compared to 2021, diabetes and prediabetes rates increased from roughly 50 percent.

Additionally, 72 percent of adults are at an ‘unhealthy’ weight, meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 25. This is roughly in line with the year before.

And four in 10 US children are considered to have an ‘unhealthy’ weight. This is up from about 36 percent in 2021. 

Dr Dhruv S Kazi, associate professor at Harvard Medical School, said: ‘Although we have made a lot of progress against cardiovascular disease in the past few decades, there is a lot more work that remains to be done. 

He noted that if the trends continue, 180million US adults will be diagnosed with high blood pressure and obesity. This is nearly two-thirds of adults. 

He also estimates nearly one in three Americans will have type 2 diabetes by 2050. 

Ms Burke was born with the heart condition myocardial bridging, though she did not know until she suffered a cardiac arrest. She had open heart surgery and spent four months in rehab

Southern states are more at risk of high death rates from heart disease, the latest data from the CDC shows

Dr Kazi added: ‘And it is important to acknowledge that, although cardiovascular disease affects us all, it doesn’t affect us all equally.’ 

The team found Black women had the highest rate of obesity at 58 percent, while Asian women had the lowest at 14.5 percent. 

Black women also had the highest rate of high blood pressure at 58 percent. The lowest rate, 35 percent, was found in Hispanic women.

Additionally, Hispanic men were the most likely group to have diabetes with a rate of 14.5 percent. White women had the lowest rate at eight percent.

However, the team also found some risk factors for heart disease are trending downward.

Smoking rates in men, for example, have fallen from 51 percent in 1965 to 16 percent in 2018, the latest data available. And for women, rates have decreased from 34 percent to 12 percent during the same timeframe.

Matias Escobar, pictured here in the middle, nearly died while competing in the New York City Triathlon in 2023 at age 38. Doctors said his vital signs offered no clues –  cholesterol and blood pressure had all checked out prior to competing

Rebecca Smith (pictured) from the UK, suffers from peripartum cardiomyopathy – a rare form of heart failure which develops during pregnancy and weakens the mother’s heart in the third trimester. After having two children, she will need to remain on medication for the rest of her life

And in 2023, 28 percent of high school in 2023 reported using tobacco products at least once compared to 34 percent in 2022. 

Vaping, which some early research has suggested could reduce heart function, also saw a downward trend. In 2023, one in 10 high schoolers reported using e-cigarettes compared to 14 percent in 2022. 

Dr Churchwell said: ‘Heart disease was once considered a death sentence, but thanks to the many advances in clinical diagnosis and treatment, people are able to live longer, healthier lives even after a cardiovascular event.

‘Certainly, any medical or clinical therapy that can treat the risk factors that contribute to CVD are essential. More importantly, I would say that we need to stop these risk factors in their tracks, keep people healthy throughout their lifespan. 

‘That will only be possible with a strong emphasis on early prevention and equitable health access for all.’