Specialists are cautioning that diagnoses of the top cause of death among women in the United States could climb sharply—by roughly a third—over the next quarter-century.
New research published in Circulation on Wednesday (February 25) suggests that by 2050, at least 60 percent of women in the US will be living with at least one form of cardiovascular disease.
Researchers at the American Heart Association reached these projections by analyzing long-term patterns from two national surveys alongside US Census forecasts for population changes.
The report estimates that the share of women with at least one cardiovascular condition will rise from 10.7 percent in 2020 to 14.4 percent by 2050—an increase of more than one-third.
The authors say the jump is likely to track with growth in related health problems, including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.
Stacey E. Rosen, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, who worked on the findings, said: “Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women and remains their number one health risk overall.
“While many people may think these conditions like high blood pressure are only occurring in older women, we know this is not the case. We know the factors that contribute to heart disease and stroke begin early in life, even among young women and girls.
“The impact is even greater among those experiencing adverse social determinants of health such as poverty, low literacy, rural residence and other psychosocial stressors. Identifying the types of trends outlined in this report is critical to making meaningful changes that can reverse this course.”
The American Heart Association notes that although older women are still expected to represent the largest share of cases, the burden on younger women is projected to grow substantially as well.
By 2050, the analysis forecasts that about one in three women aged 22 to 44 will have some form of cardiovascular disease—up from roughly one in four today.
In the same age group, diabetes prevalence is predicted to surge from around six percent at present to 16 percent.
Rosen added: “This trend in increased health risks among girls and young women is particularly disturbing, as it indicates they will be facing chronic health issues for most of their lives. Women are already at increased risk for so many of these health conditions due to factors unique to them throughout their lifespan.
“Significant health changes during pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause make it particularly important to pay close attention to increases in health risk factors during those times.”