Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Oct 07, 2025 1 day, 5 hours, 20 minutes ago
Medical News: Heart Disease Looms Larger Than Ever
A new report from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Heart Failure Society of America has delivered a sobering revelation—one in four people will develop heart failure in their lifetime. The updated Heart Failure Epidemiology and Outcomes Statistics report, published in the Journal of Cardiac Failure, highlights a concerning rise in both the incidence and mortality rates of heart failure across the United States. Researchers warn that the condition has become one of the most pressing public health threats of the modern era.
One In Four People Now at Risk of Heart Failure
According to the report, the number of Americans living with heart failure is expected to climb from the current 6.7 million to nearly 8.7 million by 2030. This figure could surge even higher to 11.4 million by 2050, marking a massive increase in cases that will place immense pressure on healthcare systems. In the middle of these alarming findings, this
Medical News report emphasizes how urgent preventive actions and better access to treatment are now more critical than ever.
Disparities and Rising Mortality Rates
Led by Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow from UCLA, the study found that age-adjusted heart failure incidence and prevalence remain significantly higher among Black individuals compared with other racial and ethnic groups. Tragically, heart failure accounted for 45 percent of all cardiovascular deaths in 2022. Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native individuals face the highest all-cause age-adjusted mortality rates of any population segment. Researchers warn that health inequalities and inadequate treatment access are worsening the situation, especially among people under 65 years old.
Costs and Underused Treatments
The study also highlights the massive economic toll. Managing heart failure already costs around $46 billion per year, and projections indicate this could skyrocket to $858 billion by 2050. Despite advances in medical science, fewer than one in four eligible patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction are receiving quadruple guideline-directed medical therapy—treatment proven to reduce death rates and hospitalizations. The underuse of these therapies represents a missed opportunity to save millions of lives globally.
Hidden Conditions and Missed Diagnoses
Researchers noted that specific heart diseases like cardiac amyloidosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are often underdiagnosed because their symptoms mimic other common heart issues. Improved genetic testing and imaging tools have helped identify these cases more accurately, allowing for earlier intervention. However, awareness among both the public and healthcare providers remains low.
A Growing Epidemic
Dr. Fonarow described heart failure as a “growing epidemic affecting millions across all demographics.” He stressed the urgent need for better prevention, early diagnosis, and equitable access to treatment. The report warns that unless immedi
ate action is taken, the burden of heart failure will continue to escalate—both in terms of human lives and economic cost.
Heart failure is not just a disease of the elderly or those with known heart issues; it can strike anyone with risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, or chronic kidney disease. As the population ages and these conditions become more common, the likelihood of developing heart failure will continue to rise sharply.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Journal of Cardiac Failure
https://onlinejcf.com/article/S1071-9164(25)00326-4/fulltext
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