A Comparative Study of Ischemic Heart Disease Burden Attributable to Nonoptimal Temperature Between Younger (20-54 Years) and Older (55+ Years) Age Groups: Insights From the Global Burden of Disease 2021.

Abstract

The aim is to assess the global burden and trends of ischemic heart disease (IHD) attributable to nonoptimal temperature among younger and older populations using Global Burden of Disease 2021 data. We estimated temperature-attributable IHD burden (high, low, and nonoptimal) from 1990 to 2021 using deaths, disability-adjusted life years, age-standardized rates, and joinpoint regression, stratified by age, sex, region, and Sociodemographic Index. Decomposition analysis examined demographic contributions. From 1990 to 2021, age-standardized mortality and disability rates declined globally, yet absolute numbers of deaths and disability-adjusted life years increased, especially in older adults. The burden from low temperatures was disproportionately higher in older adults, with extreme disparities in Central Asia. Sex differences shifted with age, and burdens were consistently higher in lower SDI regions. Older adults bear a substantially greater IHD burden attributable to nonoptimal temperature, highlighting the need for targeted prevention strategies.