Health
Heart attack deaths have plummeted in US, but new cardiovascular threats emerge
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Heart attack deaths have plummeted in recent years — but other types of cardiovascular disease still pose a major threat.
A new study by the American Heart Association (AHA) found that overall heart disease-related death rates have declined by 66%, and heart attack deaths have dropped by almost 90%.
While heart attacks are no longer the most fatal form of heart disease, there have been increases in other types — heart failure, arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) and hypertensive heart disease (long-term high blood pressure).
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The findings were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Heart Association.
In the study, researchers analyzed more than 50 years of data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), focusing on heart disease deaths among adults aged 25 and older.
Heart attack deaths have plummeted in recent years — but other types of cardiovascular disease still pose a major threat. (iStock)
In 1970, heart attacks — also known as ischemic heart disease — represented more than half (54%) of all heart disease deaths, the study found.
As of 2022, only 29% of heart disease deaths were caused by heart attacks.
Other types of heart disease deaths — such as heart failure, hypertensive heart disease and arrhythmia — have risen during that timeframe, however.
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In 2022, these other types were responsible for 47% of heart disease deaths, up from just 9% in 1970, the study found.
“This distribution shift in the types of heart disease people were dying from the most was very interesting to us,” said the study’s first author, Sara King, M.D., a second-year internal medicine resident in the department of medicine at Stanford School of Medicine in Stanford, California, in the release.
While heart attack deaths have declined, other types of heart disease deaths — such as heart failure, hypertensive heart disease and arrhythmia — have risen in the last 50 years. (American Heart Association)
“This evolution over the past 50 years reflects incredible successes in the way heart attacks and other types of ischemic heart disease are managed,” she went on.
“However, the substantial increase in deaths from other types of heart conditions, including heart failure and arrhythmias, poses emerging challenges the medical community must address.”
“The increase in other types of heart disease leading to death has offset the wins from deaths from heart attacks declining.”
Arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats, happen when electrical impulses to the heart are too fast, slow or erratic, according to the AHA. One common example of an arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation (AFib), which begins in the upper chambers of the heart.
Heart failure is defined as a “chronic condition where the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen.”
One common example of an arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation (AFib), which begins in the upper chambers of the heart. (American Heart Association)
Hypertensive heart disease describes damage to the heart caused by long-term, unaddressed high blood pressure, the AHA stated.
Sadiya S. Khan, MD, a cardiologist and associate professor at Northwestern University in Chicago, was not involved in the study but commented on the “important analysis.”
“Fortunately, this study suggests important progress in a preventable cause of death — heart attacks,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Unfortunately, it suggests that there is a smoldering crisis of other types of heart disease deaths that may be in part related to heart attacks, but speak to the growing burden of obesity that results in more heart failure and arrhythmia-related deaths.”
“The increase in other types of heart disease leading to death has offset the wins from deaths from heart attacks declining.”
Why the decrease in heart attacks?
The researchers presented several possible reasons for the decrease in heart attack deaths, primarily advancements in treatment for sudden and acute cardiac events.
“From the establishment and increased use of bystander CPR and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to treat cardiac arrest outside the hospital setting, to the creation of systems of care that promote early recognition of and quick procedural and medical intervention to treat heart attacks, there have been great strides made in helping people survive initial acute cardiac events that were once considered a death sentence,” King said in the release.
“The next frontier in heart health must focus on preventing heart attacks, and also on helping people age with healthier hearts and avoiding chronic heart conditions later in life.” (iStock)
The researchers also touted several other medical advancements, including coronary artery bypass grafting, cardiac imaging and many new heart disease medications.
Healthy lifestyle modifications, such as quitting smoking, exercising regularly and managing cholesterol and blood pressure, have also contributed to the reduced heart attack deaths, the AHA report stated.
Khan added, “It is important to note that this doesn’t mean the heart attack may still not have been the driver, if someone with a heart attack developed heart failure and that is now called a heart failure death.”
Risk factors remain
Despite the improvements, the researchers cautioned that several other heart disease risk factors — including obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and physical inactivity — are still fueling cases.
Obesity in particular has risen from 15% to 40% during the study timeframe, and type 2 diabetes affects nearly half of U.S. adults, according to the report.
Increased life expectancy is another factor — as people are living longer, a larger aging population is more likely to experience various types of heart disease.
“We’ve won major battles against heart attacks; however, the war against heart disease isn’t over,” King said. “We now need to tackle heart failure and other chronic conditions that affect people as they age.”
“The next frontier in heart health must focus on preventing heart attacks, and also on helping people age with healthier hearts and avoiding chronic heart conditions later in life.”
The AHA calculates heart health based on an individual’s score for what it calls “Life’s Essential 8.” Those who score high in those eight areas are, on average, six years younger biologically than their actual age. (American Heart Association)
The AHA calculates heart health based on an individual’s score for what it calls “Life’s Essential 8.”
Those who score high in those eight areas are, on average, six years younger biologically than their actual age.
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The eight lifestyle behaviors for optimal heart health are listed below.
- Eat better
- Be more active
- Quit tobacco
- Get healthy sleep
- Manage weight
- Control cholesterol
- Manage blood sugar
- Manage blood pressure
Potential limitations
The researchers pointed out several limitations of their study, including that they did not analyze data by age, sex, race, ethnicity, region or urbanization.
There could also be potential inconsistencies and “miscoding” of data over the years, they noted.
“We’ve won major battles against heart attacks; however, the war against heart disease isn’t over.”
It’s also possible that the “true burden” of heart attacks is “underestimated” in the findings, according to the researchers.
“Certain conditions including heart failure, cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias — and, in particular, ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac arrest — may be overly simplistic,” they wrote. “Many of these cases likely have underlying causes that cannot be precisely differentiated using current or past ICD (International Classification of Diseases) codes.”
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Khan pointed out that despite the decrease in direct heart attack deaths, heart disease overall is still the leading cause of mortality in the U.S., accounting for more than 900,000 deaths in 2022.
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A decades-long effort to develop a vaccine against one of the world’s leading causes of severe digestive illness has reached a milestone, according to new research.
Scientists recently developed a technology targeting enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), a bacterium responsible for millions of diarrheal illnesses each year.
The technology has now been licensed to French vaccine manufacturer Valneva for further development.
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The findings come after decades of research led by scientists at the University of Bergen and the Norwegian Research Center (NORCE).
One of the most common bacterial causes of severe diarrhea worldwide, ETEC is known to disproportionately affect children in low- and middle-income countries. Despite years of research, there is currently no broadly effective vaccine to prevent the infection, according to the study.
Researchers have made a major breakthrough in the decades-long effort to develop a vaccine against ETEC, a leading cause of diarrheal disease worldwide. (iStock)
The researchers focused on a toxin produced by ETEC that has long been considered one of the biggest obstacles to vaccine development.
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James Fleckenstein, MD, a professor of medicine and molecular microbiology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said the findings represent a promising step.
“We still have a lot of work to do to translate these findings to an actual vaccine,” Fleckenstein, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital. “But the approach does look promising in the sense that the proteins elicit strong antibody responses that appear to offer protection against diarrheal illness after the first infection in children in developing countries.”
ETEC is a leading bacterial cause of severe diarrhea worldwide, especially among children in low- and middle-income countries. (iStock)
If the vaccine eventually reaches patients, researchers hope it could help protect children against some of the most severe forms of diarrheal disease caused by ETEC.
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In the meantime, Fleckenstein said travelers can take steps to reduce their risk of diarrheal illnesses. He recommends avoiding high-risk foods — including meals from street vendors in areas where sanitation may be poor — drinking bottled water in higher-risk regions, and practicing good hand hygiene.
While a vaccine is still years away, experts recommend avoiding high-risk foods, drinking bottled water and washing your hands to reduce the risk of ETEC. (iStock)
Fleckenstein also noted that vaccines are available to protect against typhoid fever, and said travelers should consult their physician before traveling internationally.
The research did have some limitations, the researchers noted.
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The technology is still in development and has not yet been tested as an approved vaccine among the public.
While the licensing agreement allows Valneva to continue advancing the research, additional laboratory studies, clinical trials and regulatory review will be required before the vaccine becomes available.
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Bryan Johnson, a biohacker and longevity guru who has claimed “we may be the first generation who won’t die,” revealed he has an autoimmune condition causing his stomach to “eat itself.”
The Los Angeles-based tech entrepreneur, 48, has previously shared publicly that he is hoping to live until the year 2140, when he would in theory be 160 years old.
Now, Johnson says he has been diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis (AIG), a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the stomach’s acid-producing parietal cells, reducing stomach acid and impairing vitamin B12 absorption, according to Nature Reviews Disease Primers.
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“My stomach is eating itself,” he wrote in an Instagram post. Johnson also shared that anywhere from 2% to 5% of people likely have this disease.
“I’m going to try to solve it,” Johnson went on. “Will share all.”
Bryan Johnson, a biohacker and longevity guru who has claimed “we may be the first generation who won’t die,” revealed he has an autoimmune condition causing his stomach to “eat itself.” (Getty Images)
The biohacker shared that as a child, he ate sugary cereal, drank sugary soda and “gobbled down fast food.”
“I became a young father of three and began building a business,” Johnson went on. “Juggling that stress and grind, I let my health slip and gained 40 lbs. Within a few years I’d fallen into a deep, chronic depression.”
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“Somewhere in that timeline, my body began developing an autoimmune process affecting my thyroid and then my stomach lining,” he added.
Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson for comment.
AIG can remain hidden and can be challenging to diagnose, Johnson noted, often surfacing years after damage has already occurred to the stomach. It can cause iron deficiency, B12 deficiency and anemia, and can also increase the risk of stomach cancer, the expert warned.
“Low iron stores get normalized and rarely investigated at all when anemia hasn’t shown up yet,” Johnson wrote. “That blind spot is what hid mine for a decade.”
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He also shared that for 11 years, he has had low levels of ferritin, a protein that stores iron inside the body’s cells. Ferritin releases iron when the body needs it, supports muscle function and carries out other essential processes.
“We continually tried to raise my iron levels with food and supplementation, but nothing would work,” he said.
The Los Angeles-based tech entrepreneur, 48, has previously shared publicly that he is hoping to live until the year 2140. (Getty Images)
Johnson acknowledged that some common biohacking techniques — including hard training, sauna and hyperbaric oxygen — all raise the body’s demand for iron.
“But none of them explained the core failure: Despite me taking iron orally, trailing every formulation and using every timing trick, none of the iron would stick.”
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Johnson underwent a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy, which examined his entire intestinal tract. Five biopsies were also taken from his stomach, which found “clear signs of early autoimmune gastritis: early atrophy confined to the acid-producing lining.”
In January 2026, the biohacker stated in a post on his website that “by 2039, my goal is immortality.”
“In the age of AI, multiomics, and custom-built DNA, proteins and cells, no condition should be presumed incurable simply because no one has yet tried to cure it with today’s stack,” Johnson said in his post. (Getty Images)
He detailed his strategy for defying aging, which includes embracing a strict regimen to slow or stop biological aging, using AI to accelerate longevity research, testing new treatments in lab-grown cells and organs, and reaching “longevity escape velocity” — in which medical advances would eventually extend lifespan faster than he ages.
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“I may fail at this task, but my team and I will try our best,” he wrote at the time.
There is currently no cure for AIG, which Johnson said he wants to change.
Johnson acknowledged that some common biohacking techniques — including hard training, sauna and hyperbaric oxygen — all raise the body’s demand for iron. (iStock)
“In the age of AI, multiomics, and custom-built DNA, proteins and cells, no condition should be presumed incurable simply because no one has yet tried to cure it with today’s stack.”
Johnson ended his post by urging others to prioritize their health.
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“Care for yourself, care for others, care for the planet and care for our animal friends. Care for life, as it’s the most precious gift there is.”
The longevity guru also shared an image showing the detailed findings of his five stomach biopsies.
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At 93, sprightly referee Frank Foster is still brandishing red and yellow cards and running the field three times a week for his local soccer association.
Having taken charge of around 5,500 matches over a 46-year officiating career, the great-grandfather credits his longevity and match-day stamina to a lifetime of healthy habits and a foundational diet, news agency SWNS reported.
Foster puts his remarkable fitness down to the strict wartime rations he was fed as a teenager, noting that it ensured he grew up eating “healthy food” rather than “sweets and cakes.”
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Decades later, his game-day preparation is still fueled by wholesome nutrition, always starting with a morning bowl of oatmeal, cereal or marmalade on toast to give him the energy to last the full 90 minutes.
The meal keeps him active enough to referee men’s, women’s and children’s games, a hobby he jokes he will never blow the final whistle on.
Frank Foster started refereeing in 1980. Today, he still officiates men’s, women’s and children’s games around three times a week. (SWNS)
His sharp mind and authoritative presence on the field are just as strong as his physical endurance.
A military veteran who aced his referee exam in 1980 with a 98% score, Foster relies on old-school discipline to keep matches under control, SWNS reported.
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He believes modern elite officials are too “soft” and allow player antics to ruin the sport. To maintain order and keep players from acting out, he lays down strict ground rules before kickoff. He has no patience for intimidation or theatrical diving. “Those who go down like they have been shot, well, I would just book them,” he said.
He is equally uncompromising when squads try to crowd him on the field.
Frank Foster is pictured before he became a referee. (Frank Foster/SWNS)
“I wouldn’t let them surround me at all,” Foster told SWNS.
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“I would say to the players, ‘Stay where you are,’ and ‘If you move one more inch, I will give you a yellow card.’ You need to stamp your authority and let them know who is in control.”
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He also avoids the modern stress of video-reviewing plays, which he believes creates unnecessary “aggression and disappointment” over microscopic offside calls, adding, “I think it spoils the game.”
Foster credits his longevity to wartime rations, adding that he avoided sweets. (SWNS)
“Sometimes it is only the player’s toe that is offside — it is ridiculous.”
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Foster says he “never thought” he’d still be doing this at age 93, but he makes the most of that gift.
He keeps his kit freshly washed, making sure it is “neat and tidy” for when he gets on that field.
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Foster, of South Yorkshire, England, also scrubs his black Adidas boots after every game, making sure they are “nice and clean” for his next match.
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