livescience.com
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a notable 35 percent decline in U.S. hospital admissions for heart attacks, a trend that continues to persist. While initial assumptions suggested that the drop was due to people avoiding medical care during the pandemic, new research indicates that the ongoing decrease in heart attack rates is more likely a result of improved prevention measures. Lifestyle changes, such as reduced smoking rates, healthier eating habits, and better management of conditions like high cholesterol and hypertension, are thought to be key contributors to this sustained reduction in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) hospitalizations.
Researchers from the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine and Harvard Medical School analyzed Medicare data spanning over seven years to explore this phenomenon. They found that the decline in AMI hospitalizations was most pronounced during the peak of the pandemic, likely due to care avoidance when COVID-19 infection risks were highest. But even after pandemic restrictions were lifted, AMI rates did not return to pre-pandemic levels, suggesting a lasting improvement in heart attack prevention.
However, experts emphasize that while progress has been made, there is still significant work to be done in areas like smoking cessation, diet, and exercise to further reduce cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death worldwide.
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