Cardiovascular Disease Statistics for Senior Citizens and Baby Boomers

May 26, 2005 - Although still the number one killer of Americans, age-adjusted death rates declined for heart disease (down 3.6 percent), according to the Centers for Disease Control’s latest analysis of 2003 deaths. A decline was also noted for stroke (4.6 percent).

Eight of the 15 leading causes of death declined., according to the Centers for Disease Control’s latest analysis of 2003 deaths. Declines were seen for cancer (down 2.2 percent), which with heart disease accounts for more than half of all deaths in the United States each year. Declines were also documented for suicide (3.7 percent), flu/pneumonia (3.1 percent), chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (2.1 percent), and accidents/unintentional injuries (2.2. percent).

Note: Statistics for Baby Boomers are below Older American statistics or Click Here.

Older Americans and Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular Disease

About 84 percent of cardiovascular disease deaths occur in people age 65 and older.
In 2002, 6,373,000 Americans were discharged from short-stay hospitals with a first listed diagnosis of CVD. Of these, 63.3 percent were age 65 and older.

Coronary Heart Disease

For non-black men the annual rates per 1,000 population of new and recurrent heart attacks are

23.0 for ages 65-74.
35.3 for ages 75 and older.
For non-black women the rates are
9.8, for ages 65-74.
24.9 for ages 75 and older.
For black men the rates are
21.9, for ages 65-74.
31.4 for ages 75 and older.
For black women the rates are
13.8 for ages 65-74.
28.1 for ages 75 and older.

Over 83 percent of people who die of CHD are age 65 or older.

In part because women have heart attacks at older ages than men do, they’re more likely to die from them within a few weeks.

In 2002, 2,125,000 Americans were discharged from short-stay hospitals with a first listed diagnosis of CHD. Of these, 57.6 percent were age 65 or older.

Angina Pectoris

The annual rates per 1,000 population of new and recurrent episodes of angina (chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood supply to the heart muscle) for non-black men are

44.3 for ages 65-74.
56.4 for ages 75-84.
42.6 for age 85 and older.
For non-black women the rates are
18.8 for ages 65-74.
30.8 for ages 75-84.
19.8 for age 85 and older.

For black men the rates are

26.1 for ages 65-74.
52.2 for ages 75-84.
43.5 for age 85 and older.
For black women the rates are
29.4 for ages 65-74.
37.7 for ages 75-84.
15.2 for age 85 and older.

In 2002, 58,000 Americans were discharged from short-stay hospitals with a first listed diagnosis of angina pectoris.

Stroke

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a warning stroke or “mini-stroke” that lasts less than 24 hours. The prevalence of TIA in men is

2.7 percent for ages 65-69.
3.6 percent for ages 75-79.
For women, the TIA prevalence is
1.6 percent for ages 65-69.
4.1 percent for ages 75-79.

Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States.

About 88 percent of stroke deaths occur in people age 65 and older.

22 percent of men and 25 percent of women who have an initial stroke die within a year. This percentage is higher among people age 65 and older. (FHS, NHLBI)

In 2002, 942,000 Americans were discharged from short-stay hospitals with a first listed diagnosis of stroke. Of these, 71 percent were age 65 and older.

High Blood Pressure

The following have high blood pressure (defined as systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher, or taking antihypertensive medicine):

At ages 55-64, 46.6 percent of men and 55.5 percent of women.
At ages 65-74, 60.9 percent of men and74.0 percent of women.
At age 75 and older, 69.2 percent of men and 83.4 percent of women.

In 2002, 535,000 Americans were discharged from short-stay hospitals with a first listed diagnosis of HBP.

Arrhythmias

The rate of AF increases from less than 1 percent among persons less than 60 years to about 10 percent among persons age 80 and older.

Among older adults the prevalence is higher in whites than in blacks.

Congestive Heart Failure

The incidence of heart failure approaches 10 per 1,000 population after age 65. (FHS, NHLBI)

After CHF is diagnosed, survival is poorer in men than in women, but fewer than 15 percent of women survive longer than 8-12 years. The 1-year mortality rate is high with 1 in 5 dying. (FHS, NHLBI)

The annual rates per 1,000 population of new and recurrent CHF events for non-black men are

21.5 for ages 65-74.
43.3 for ages 75-84.
73.1 for age 85 and older.

For non-black women in these age groups the rates are

11.2 for ages 65-74.
26.3 for ages 75-84.
64.9 for age 85 and older.

For black men the rates are

21.1 for ages 65-74.
52.0 for ages 75-84.
66.7 for age 85 and older.

For black women the rates are

18.9 for ages 65-74.
33.5 for ages 75-84.
48.4 for age 85 and older.

In 2002, 970,000 Americans were discharged from short-stay hospitals with a first listed diagnosis of congestive heart failure. Of these, about 74 percent were age 65 and older.

Tobacco

In 2002 studies show that 10.1 percent of men and 8.6 percent of women age 65 and older smoke. (Health, United States, 2004, CDC/NCHS)

High Blood Cholesterol and Other Lipids

In adults, total cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or higher are considered high risk. Levels from 200 to 239 mg/dL are considered borderline-high risk.

Among people ages 65-74, the following have total blood cholesterol 200 mg/dL or higher.

60.2 percent of men.
76.7 percent of women.

For age 75 and older the percentages are

42.7 percent of men.
66.1 percent of women.

Among people ages 65-74, the following have total blood cholesterol 240 mg/dL or higher:

19.2 percent of men.
37.4 percent of women.
For age 75 and older the percentages are
10.1 percent of men.
27.6 percent of women.

Overweight and Obesity

Among people age 60 and older, the following are overweight or obese, defined as a BMI (body mass index) of 25.0 kg/m2 and higher:

74.8 percent of non-Hispanic white men.
66.7 percent of non-Hispanic white women.
72.2 percent of non-Hispanic black men.
82.2 percent of non-Hispanic black women.
75.4 percent of Mexican-American men.
73.9 percent of Mexican-American women.

Among people age 60 and older, the following are obese, defined as a BMI of 30.0 kg/m2 and higher:

32.2 percent of non-Hispanic white men.
33.7 percent of non-Hispanic white women.
30.5 percent of non-Hispanic black men.
50.3 percent of non-Hispanic black women.
27.4 percent of Mexican-American men.
35.8 percent of Mexican-American women.

Diabetes Mellitus

In people ages 60+, the following have physician-diagnosed diabetes:

16.5 percent of men.
14.7 percent of women

In 2002, 577,000 Americans were discharged from short-stay hospitals with a first listed diagnosis of diabetes. Of these, 33.4 percent were age 65 and older.

Surgery

According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, 54 percent of bypass and 50 percent of PTCA procedures in 2002 were done on patients age 65 and older.

In 2002, 47 percent of heart transplant recipients were ages 50-64.

Baby Boomers and Cardiovascular Diseases

“Baby boomers” are persons born from 1946 through 1964. Thus, for the 2001 death rates presented here, baby boomers included people ages 37 through 55. As provided in U.S. government data, the 35-44 and 45-54 age groups in the statistics below are an approximation for comparing baby boomers with other groups.

Note: The following death rates are crude rates per 100,000 population.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) (ICD/10 codes I00-I99, Q20-Q28) (ICD/9 codes 390-459, 745-747)

For the 45-54 age group, the following have CVD:

36.2 percent of men.
36.6 percent of women.

The 2001 overall crude death rate from CVD was 326.9. For the 35-44 age group the crude rates were

45.4 for white men.
20.1 for white women.
100.0 for black men.
63.5 for black women.

For the 45-54 age group the crude rates were

147.2 for white men.
56.2 for white women.
315.8 for black men.
177.4 for black women.

Coronary Heart Disease

For the 45-54 age group, the following have CHD:

3.0 percent of men.
1.6 percent of women.

The 2001 overall crude CHD death rate was 176.3. For the 35-44 age group the crude rates were

24.7 for white men.
7.0 for white women.
36.0 for black men.
16.4 for black women.

For the 45-54 age group the crude rates were

96.3 for white men.
25.6 for white women.
145.7 for black men.
65.0 for black women.

Stroke

For the 35-44 age group the prevalence of stroke is

1.1 percent of men.
0.8 percent of women.

For the 45-54 age group the prevalence of stroke is

1.2 percent of men.
2.1 percent of women.

The 2001 overall crude death rate for stroke was 57.4. For the 35-44 age group the crude rates were

4.5 for white men.
4.2 for white women.
13.2 for black men.
13.1 for black women.

For the 45-54 age group the crude rates were

12.7 for white men.
10.2 for white women.
48.8 for black men.
37.3 for black women.

High Blood Pressure (HBP)

For the 35-44 age group, the following have HBP:

21.3 percent of men.
18.1 percent of women.

For the 45-54 age group, the following have HBP:

34.1 percent of men.
34.0 percent of women.

The 2001 overall crude death rate from HBP was 16.4. For the 35-44 age group the crude rates were

3.0 for white men
1.1 for white women.
15.7 for black men.
9.7 for black women.

For the 45-54 age group the crude rates were

8.1 for white men.
3.6 for white women.
46.3 for black men.
25.3 for black women.

Source Footnotes

CDC/NCHS – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics

CHS – Cardiovascular Health Study

FHS – Framingham Heart Study

HHP – Honolulu Heart Program

NHANES III (1988-94) – National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

NHANES (1999-2002) – National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

NHLBI – National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

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