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Heart disease mortality rate drops, but number of patients grows

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Improvements in cholesterol testing and other measures of heart health have allowed doctors to discover problems sooner. However, a growing number of individuals appear to be suffering from cardiovascular problems, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.

The report indicates that early detection and treatment resulted in a 27.8 percent reduction in the death rate from heart disease between 1997 and 2007. However, the number of inpatient operations and procedures for heart disease and stroke increased by 27 percent during this time.

The figures indicate that, while diagnosis and treatment of heart disease is continuing to improve, the number of people who suffer from the condition is growing.

"The mortality rate going down is good news. However, the fact that the burden of disease is so high indicates that we may have won a battle against mortality but have not won the war against heart disease and stroke," said Veronique Roger, who authored the report. "We need to energize our commitment to strategies that can prevent disease in the first place."