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Cardiovascular Disease Rates Dropping in American Indians

Fewer men are dying from heart disease-related events, but women seeing less improvement

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — New cardiovascular disease is declining among American Indians, according to a study published in the Nov. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Clemma J. Muller, Ph.D., from Washington State University in Seattle, and colleagues used data from the Strong Heart Study and the Strong Heart Family Study to assess cardiovascular disease in 5,627 American Indians. Participants were enrolled in 1989 to 1990 or 2000 to 2003 and were born during 1915 to 1984. They were followed through 2013.

The researchers found that at all ages, cardiovascular disease incidence was lower for people with more recent birth years. There were consistent declines in cardiovascular disease mortality among men, while prevalence declined among women. For women aged 45 to 75 years, generational comparisons were similar (relative risk, 0.39 to 0.46), but among men, magnitudes strengthened from age 45 to 75 years (relative risk, 0.91 to 0.39). The risk for cardiovascular disease mortality was lower in the most recent versus the earliest birth years for women (relative risk, 0.56 to 0.83) and men (relative risk, 0.40 to 0.54).

“We need to more closely examine whether American Indian women and men are having different experiences with their health patterns, and why, so we can make sure improvements are experienced equally by both groups,” Muller said in a statement.

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