Top in cardiology: Heart disease remains leading cause of death; low-value aspirin use
The American Heart Association has issued its heart disease and stroke statistical update for 2025, which provides an overview of statistics related to CVD, stroke and CV risk factors.
The authors of the document, published in Circulation, reported that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and stroke is the fifth-leading cause.
They also reported that the direct costs of CVD in the U.S. increased sharply from 2012 to 2021.
“In this world of polycrises, it is important that we not lose sight that CVD is still the leading cause of mortality worldwide and, if unchecked, will become an even bigger threat to global health and the world economy in the future,” Dhruv S. Kazi, MD, MSc, MS, associate director of the Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology, director of the cardiac critical care unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, wrote in a related editorial.
It was the top story in cardiology last week.
In another top story, researchers found that some Asian, Black and Mexican American adults at low atherosclerotic risk continue to take low-dose aspirin despite bleeding risk and clinical guidance.
They reported similar observations for individuals on Medicaid or without insurance.
Read these and more top stories in cardiology below:
CVD will be ‘even bigger threat to global health and the world economy’ if unchecked
The American Heart Association has issued the 2025 update to its annual heart disease and stroke statistics report, detailing recent trends in CV-related morbidity and mortality. Read more.
Certain low-risk populations continue baby aspirin use, despite risk and clinical guidance
Many historically underrepresented groups, individuals on Medicaid and some without insurance at low atherosclerotic risk continue to take low-dose aspirin despite bleeding risk, in contrast to recent clinical guidance, researchers found. Read more.
Differences in education contribute to disparities in early pregnancy heart health
Education may be a significant factor explaining racial/ethnic differences in early pregnancy heart health among Black and Hispanic individuals compared with white individuals, researchers reported. Read more.
CABG plus surgical AVR may suit certain older patients with aortic stenosis, CAD
CABG plus surgical aortic valve replacement for treatment of coronary disease and aortic stenosis conferred better 5-year outcomes vs. PCI plus transcatheter aortic valve replacement in Medicare beneficiaries, a speaker reported during the Society of Thoracic Surgeons annual meeting. Read more.
Cardiometabolic drugs consume majority of cost among those up for price negotiation
Among the first 10 drugs selected for price negotiations under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, cardiometabolic medications consumed more than 80% of Medicare Part D spending, researchers reported. Read more.