AHA 2008 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics

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Jim - 21 Dec 2007 14:54 GMT

Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics -- 2008 Update (All Charts)

In there, one can see the historical data that says that there was never
a "sudden surge" in 20th century heart disease [deaths], but what
appears to be a real nice smooth rise beginning early in the 20th
century and a peak with modest decline in the later part of the 20th
century.

Downloading the powerpoint presentation (over 2 MB) is the easiest way
to get an overview.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3018163

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Hollywood - 21 Dec 2007 15:27 GMT

> Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics -- 2008 Update (All Charts)
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> century and a peak with modest decline in the later part of the 20th
> century.

The charts you're talking about are mortality from CVD. Not
prevalence.
There's very little in the presentation that talks about historic
prevalence,
absent mortality. If you're making an argument about a surge of CVD,
it's not necessarily tied to mortality, as CVD is becoming a more
manageable disease, and with progressive improvements to emergent
treatment of CV incidents (heart attacks and strokes), you're seeing a
decline in mortality at the same time you're possibly seeing a surge
in prevalence.

I think Taubes has the data to suggest a surge in diagnosis of CVD
at some point, which reinforced itself with actual growth in
prevalence
following the national adoption of the lipid hypothesis. Nothing in
the
presentation refutes that, since all of the historical data talks to
deaths. The gradual growth from 1900 to 1950 might be entirely
attributable to diagnosis and attribution, rather than increased
incidence.

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Jim - 22 Dec 2007 13:32 GMT

>> Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics -- 2008 Update (All Charts)
>>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> The charts you're talking about are mortality from CVD. Not
> prevalence.

Yes, the data on deaths are much easier to acquire than are the data on
diagnosis.

Death certificates are a public document. Diagnosis data isn't public
information and is not automatically made available.

> There's very little in the presentation that talks about historic
> prevalence,
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> decline in mortality at the same time you're possibly seeing a surge
> in prevalence.

I wasn't trying anything of the sort you mention above.

I was just making the link available to people who might be interested
in whatever statistics the AHA publishes.

> I think Taubes has the data to suggest a surge in diagnosis of CVD
> at some point, which reinforced itself with actual growth in
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> attributable to diagnosis and attribution, rather than increased
> incidence.

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