At the KAHN CENTER, the goal in every patient is to identify risk for heart disease and lower it with natural and lifestyle approaches when possible, combined with medictions if required. Longevity is the goal.
Ischemic heart disease (IHD), the leading cause of death in the US, is predominantly due to modifiable risk factors. IHD events included heart attacks, heart failure following heart attacks, and sudden cardiac deaths.
A new study examined what are the biggest "modifiable risk facotrs" for deaths due to IHD.
The Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 (GBD 2023) used vital records and a broad set of epidemiologic data to estimate IHD death rates, risk factor exposure, and relative risk curves for risk-outcome pairs for 1990-2023 for the general population.
In 2023, there were 473 000 IHD deaths.
Between 2010 and 2023, there was a 19.0% decrease for males and a 25% decrease for females in IHD death rates.
High systolic blood pressure (SBP), dietary risks, and high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were the leading risk factors for IHD deaths in 2023, accounting for 47%, 39%, and 29% of IHD deaths, respectively.
Increased exposure to several risk factors substantially increased their attributable burden for IHD deaths in 2023, with high fasting plasma glucose (FPG) increasing and high body mass index (BMI) increasing 55% since 1990.
Smoking and particulate matter pollution had the greatest decrease in attributable IHD mortality since 1990.
Per the results of this systematic analysis of GBD 2023, a total of 89% of IHD deaths were attributable to modifiable risk factors in the US in 2023, with high SBP, dietary risks, and high LDL-C being the greatest contributors.
High BMI and high FPG showed the largest attribution increases.
At the KAHN CENTER, we focus on blood pressure (hypertension), cholesterol management, and diet/nutrition emphasizing plant diets, exercise, sleep, and stress management. Knowing the top 3 "modifiable" risk factors helps our efforts to focus on a long and healthy lifespan.
