Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of BMJ, 385, e078523. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-078523 Dr. Nathalie Conrad et al.
Points
- The UK population-based study analyzed the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) from 2000 to 2019, focusing on variations by age, sex, and socioeconomic status. It involved 1,650,052 newly diagnosed CVD patients.
- There was a 19% decline in the age and sex-standardized incidence of ten specified CVDs, notably in coronary heart disease and stroke. However, an increase in cardiac arrhythmias, valve diseases, and thromboembolic diseases led to a stable overall CVD incidence from the mid-2000s.
- The decline in coronary heart disease incidence was mainly observed in older age groups, with limited improvement in younger cohorts, and a consistent socioeconomic gradient was seen with higher CVD rates among socioeconomically deprived populations.
- The study highlighted the persistent burden of CVDs despite advancements in atherosclerotic disease prevention, emphasizing the need for comprehensive prevention strategies addressing a broader range of CVD conditions.
- The findings call for targeted interventions and public health initiatives to address the specific needs of younger age groups and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. These initiatives aim to reduce CVD incidence and mitigate disparities across demographic segments.
Summary
This population-based study in the UK aimed to investigate cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence over a two-decade period from 2000 to 2019, focusing on variations by age, sex, and socioeconomic status. The research encompassed 1,650,052 individuals newly diagnosed with at least one of ten specified CVDs, including acute coronary syndrome, stroke, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease. By standardizing incidence rates for age and sex using the 2013 European standard population, the study sought to analyze temporal trends and disparities in CVD incidence across different demographic groups.
The study revealed a notable decline in the age and sex-standardized incidence of the ten specified CVDs by 19% during the study period, with significant reductions observed in coronary heart disease and stroke. However, there was a simultaneous increase in diagnoses of cardiac arrhythmias, valve diseases, and thromboembolic diseases, leading to a relatively stable overall incidence of CVDs from the mid-2000s. Stratified analyses indicated that the decline in coronary heart disease incidence predominantly affected older age groups, with limited improvement in younger age cohorts. Moreover, a consistent socioeconomic gradient was observed across various CVDs, with higher incidence rates among socioeconomically deprived populations, particularly for conditions like peripheral artery disease, acute coronary syndrome, and heart failure.
Despite advancements in atherosclerotic disease prevention, the study highlighted the persistent burden of CVDs in the UK over the study period. The findings underscored the need for comprehensive prevention strategies that address a broader range of CVD conditions beyond traditional atherosclerotic diseases. Furthermore, the study emphasized the importance of tailoring prevention efforts to meet the specific needs of younger age groups and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations to reduce the overall incidence of CVDs in the future effectively. These insights call for targeted interventions and public health initiatives to address the evolving landscape of CVD epidemiology and mitigate disparities across different demographic segments.
Link to the article: https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj-2023-078523
References Conrad, N., Molenberghs, G., Verbeke, G., Zaccardi, F., Lawson, C., Friday, J. M., Su, H., Jhund, P. S., Sattar, N., Rahimi, K., Cleland, J. G., Khunti, K., Budts, W., & McMurray, J. J. V. (2024). Trends in cardiovascular disease incidence among 22 million people in the UK over 20 years: Population based study. BMJ, 385, e078523. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-078523
