COMMENTARY: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES AMONG OLDER ADULTS: INCIDENCE, PROGNOSIS AND NEW AVENUES FOR PREVENTION

  • S. GOYA WANNAMETHEE
Chapter

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. Despite the decline in mortality rates, which has occurred since the late 1970s, CVD is still responsible for 40–50% of all deaths before the age of 74 in western societies (Petersen, Peto, & Rayner, 2004; Rayner & Petersen, 2005). The incidence of major CVD rise strongly with age by more than fivefold between 50 and 70 years. In the UK, nearly 90% of all deaths from CVD occur after the age of 65 years and almost 70% after 75 years (Rayner & Petersen, 2005) while in the US comparable figures are reported with over 85% of CVD deaths occurring in persons aged ≥65 years (American Heart Association, 2005). There is also a substantial burden of morbidity associated with CVD at older ages. CVD is one of the leading causes of physical disability, accounting for more than a third of physical disability at older ages (Hiranic & Malbut, 2002). With increasing life expectancy, this raises serious issues for CVD prevention and management.

Keywords

Coronary Heart Disease Smoking Cessation Secondary Prevention Heart Protection Study British Heart Foundation 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer 2006

Authors and Affiliations

  • S. GOYA WANNAMETHEE
    • 1
  1. 1.Royal Free and University College Medical SchoolLondonUK

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