Doctors are worried about the rising number of deaths related to heart and blood vessel problems following the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Northwestern University, there has been an alarming spike in cardiovascular-related deaths, reversing a previously downward trend that lasted for 10 years.
Rebecca C. Woodruff from the CDC shared, “We were concerned about the emerging evidence that chronic disease outcomes worsened during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic,” and added, “This was unfortunately the case with heart disease and stroke, which had been improving before the pandemic.”
Researchers found that the number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases between 2020 and 2022 exceeded the expected trend by 228,000 across all demographics. The period saw a 9.3% increase, which is strikingly different from the 8.9% decline seen from 2010 to 2019. The CDC attributes this rise to the significant setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Woodruff pointed out that COVID-19 disrupted healthcare access for many people, leading to delays in addressing chronic or acute heart issues. The pandemic also made it harder for people to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including eating well, sleeping, staying active, and managing health factors such as blood pressure and blood sugar.
Even more concerning, new evidence suggests a link between contracting COVID-19 and an increased risk of developing heart disease, according to the CDC.
Woodruff emphasized the need for research to understand the reasons behind the increased cardiovascular mortality rates, as it can help in guiding clinical and public health strategies to prevent, detect, and treat cardiovascular diseases. She stressed the necessity of prioritizing the prevention and management of these diseases as a crucial first step.
