Trends in Mortality Rates for Cardiovascular Disease Subtypes Among Adults, 2010-2023.

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease mortality rates, which had been declining in the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, increased in 2020 and remained elevated through 2022. Understanding whether trends in mortality rates from 2010 to 2023 varied by cardiovascular disease subtypes could help focus prevention and clinical management. Annual age-standardized mortality rates per 100,000 for U.S. adults were calculated in 2025 using National Vital Statistics System death counts from 2010 to 2023. Deaths with cardiovascular disease listed as the underlying cause of death were classified into 8 major cardiovascular disease subtypes. Temporal trends from 2010 to 2023 were evaluated using average annual percentage change. In 2023, age-standardized mortality rates for cardiovascular disease subtypes were highest for ischemic heart disease (117.9 deaths per 100,000), followed by hypertensive disease (111.2), heart failure (82.1), cerebrovascular disease (65.7), arrhythmia (48.4), valvular heart disease (13.0), pulmonary heart disease (11.9), and cardiomyopathy (9.4). From 2010 to 2023, age-standardized mortality rates significantly declined for ischemic heart disease (average annual percentage change= -2.21) and cardiomyopathy (average annual percentage change= -3.00) and increased for hypertensive disease (average annual percentage change=2.52), arrhythmia (average annual percentage change=1.14), and pulmonary heart disease (average annual percentage change=1.38). Although the overall trend was not significant, age-standardized mortality rates were higher in 2023 than in 2010 for heart failure and lower for cerebrovascular disease and valvular heart disease. From 2010 to 2023, mortality rates improved for ischemic heart disease and cardiomyopathy but worsened for hypertensive disease, arrhythmia, and pulmonary heart disease. These results signal a need to focus prevention and clinical management efforts to target the growing burden of cardiovascular disease subtypes.