According to a June 4 press release from the American Heart Association, total costs related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) conditions are likely to triple by 2050, according to projections from the association.
Further, at least six in 10 U.S. adults (61%), which equates to more than 184 million people, are expected to have a type of CVD within the next 30 years. The association says that this reflects a disease prevalence that will have a $1.8 trillion price tag in direct and indirect costs.
The press release says that “The new data comes from two new presidential advisories published today in the Association’s flagship peer-reviewed journal, Circulation – Forecasting the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in the United States Through 2050: Prevalence of Risk Factors and Disease and Forecasting the Economic Burden of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in the United States through 2050. The companion papers build upon prior work by the Association to assess projections of the future cardiovascular disease prevalence and subsequent economic burden based on the current landscape/”
Data from 2020, which is the most recent data available, to 2040 projected increases in CVD and risk factors contributing to it in the U.S. including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease (including stroke, but not limited to high blood pressure), obesity, and diabetes.
More specifically, the press release includes the following statistics:
- “High blood pressure will increase from 51.2% to 61.0%, and since high blood pressure is a type of CVD, that means more than 184 million people will have a clinical diagnosis of CVD by 2050, compared to 128 million in 2020.
- Cardiovascular disease, including stroke, (but not including high blood pressure) will increase from 11.3% to 15.0%, from 28 million to 45 million adults.
- Stroke prevalence will nearly double from 10 million to almost 20 million adults.
- Obesity will increase from 43.1% to 60.6%, impacting more than 180 million people.
- Diabetes will increase from 16.3% to 26.8%, impacting more than 80 million people.
- High blood pressure will be most prevalent in individuals 80 years and older, however, the number of people with hypertension will be highest – and rising – in younger and middle-aged adults (20-64 years of age).
- People aged 20-64 years also will have the highest prevalence and highest growth for obesity, with more than 70 million young adults having a poor diet.”
Yet, the press release says that individuals are choosing to live healthier. Positive trends include physical inactivity rates and cigarette smoking rates.
Additionally, the press release mentions concerning trends among children including obesity and lack of physical activity. As for economic projections, the press release states that, “The increase in total costs for CVD is primarily driven by a projected near quadrupling of direct health care costs, expected to increase from $393 billion in 2020 to $1.4 trillion in 2050.”
