Cardiovascular Mortality Trends in Elderly Patients With Hypothyroidism: A Retrospective CDC WONDER Analysis (1999–2020)

Hypothyroidism has been increasingly recognized as a contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study aims to assess cardiovascular mortality trends in elderly patients with hypothyroidism in the United States from 1999 to 2020. Crude mortality rates and age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 population were determined. Joinpoint regression v5.2. was used to examine changes in trends and average annual percentage change across multiple variables. Between 1999 and 2020, a total of 351,857 cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related deaths were recorded among hypothyroid patients, with an overall average annual percentage change of 0.7% (95% confidence interval, 0.4–1; P < 0.01). Hypertensive diseases were the leading underlying cause of CVD-related deaths, followed by ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and stroke. Women experienced consistently higher AAMRs (45.3 vs 25.5 per 100,000; P < 0.01) compared to men. Highest AAMRs were recorded among non-Hispanic whites. Urbanization analysis indicated higher AAMRs in nonmetropolitan areas compared to metropolitan regions. CVD deaths in hypothyroidism patients have increased over the last decade, particularly among women, the 85+ age group, and nonmetropolitan regions. These results highlight the need for further investigation into the factors contributing to the observed disparities and trends in the mortality rates.