Hypertension-related heart failure mortality among US adults aged 65 and older increased sharply from 2014 to 2020, reaching an age-adjusted mortality rate of 66.1 per 100,000.
Observational (n=378,851)
Hypertension-related heart failure mortality among older US adults has risen markedly since 2014, with the greatest burden falling on women, Non-Hispanic Black adults, and rural populations.
Effect estimate: APC 10.9 (95% CI 9.9-12.6)
Although hypertension (HTN) is a major risk factor for heart failure (HF), limited national data exist on trends in mortality where HF is the underlying cause of death and HTN is a contributing factor among older adults aged ≥65 years. The aim of the study is to evaluate temporal, demographic, and regional trends in HTN-related HF mortality among older US adults from 1999 to 2020. We used CDC WONDER (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WideRanging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research) mortality data to identify deaths with HF as the underlying cause and HTN as a contributing cause in individuals aged ≥65 years. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 were calculated by year, sex, race/ethnicity, region, and urban rural status. Join point regression was used to determine changes in trends over time. Between 1999 and 2020, 378,851 HTNrelated HF deaths occurred, most in nursing homes/longterm care facilities (34.7%), at home (31.2%), or in medical facilities (24.6%). The AAMR rose from 31.8 in 1999 to 38.3 in 2005 (APC 3.2; 95% CI, 2.2-4.7), declined to 34.0 in 2009 (APC –2.6; 95% CI, –4.6 to –0.7), remained stable through 2014, and then increased sharply to 66.1 in 2020 (APC 10.9; 95% CI, 9.9-12.6). Women had higher overall mortality than men (41.7 vs. 37.5). NH Black adults had the highest rates (64.1), followed by NH White (38.9), NH American Indian/Alaska Native (38.3), Hispanic/Latino (34.3), and NH Asian/Pacific Islander (26.2). Mississippi had the highest state-level rate (109.6), while Hawaii had the lowest (20.2). Regionally, the West (48.5) exceeded the Northeast (29.8). Non-metropolitan areas had higher mortality than metropolitan areas (44.9 vs. 39.5). We concluded that HTN-related HF mortality in older adults has risen markedly since 2014, with the greatest burden among women, NH Black adults, Western states, and rural populations. These findings underscore the need for improved HTN control and HF care in highrisk groups.
Rehman et al. (Tue,) conducted a observational in Hypertension-related heart failure (n=378,851). Hypertension-related heart failure mortality among US adults aged 65 and older increased sharply from 2014 to 2020, reaching an age-adjusted mortality rate of 66.1 per 100,000.