Heart Attacks Fall One-Third Among Older Americans

A Yale University study published in JAMA Network Open suggests heart-attack prevention campaigns are having a positive impact, as the number of U.S. seniors who suffered a heart attack or died from one has declined dramatically since the mid-1990s, reports WebMD . Analysis of more than 4 million Medicare beneficiaries determined hospitalizations for heart attacks slipped 38 percent between 1995 and 2014, while deaths within 30 days of a heart attack reached an all-time low of 12 percent, down more than 33 percent since 1995. Medicare beneficiaries were studied because people 65 and older have the highest risk for heart attack, and comprise up to 66 percent of this group. According to Yale Professor Harlan Krumholz, this trend stems from efforts to rethink people's lifestyles to reduce heart attacks, as well as to improve care to enhance survival. He also points to improvements to in-hospital care since the 1990s. However, Krumholz cautions, "It's not a time to rest on our laurels or become complacent. We believe there are still improvements possible. We'd like to see heart attacks relegated to the history of medicine."