Cardiovascular Mortality and Life Expectancy Gaps in the US
Author Information
Author(s): Bramajo Octavio, Mehta Neil
Primary Institution: The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
Hypothesis
The contribution of cardiovascular disease mortality to the life expectancy gap between the US and other high-income countries is significant.
Conclusion
Cardiovascular disease mortality is a major factor contributing to the widening life expectancy gap between the US and other high-income countries.
Supporting Evidence
- The US has had worse trends in cardiovascular disease mortality since around 2008.
- The life expectancy gap between the US and other high-income countries increased by 0.4 years for females and 0.8 years for males from 2008 to 2019.
- Removing or replacing CVD mortality rates could close the life expectancy gap entirely, especially for females.
Takeaway
This study found that heart disease deaths are a big reason why people in the US live shorter lives compared to other rich countries.
Methodology
Life table methods and WHO cause-specific mortality data were used to compute life expectancy at age 50 and analyze the impact of CVD mortality.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website