Health & Fitness
Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2022 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association
Kristen Sparrow • June 15, 2025
Heart Disease can be mitigated with lifestyle changes. We've discussed this on the blog before . and here. According to this study 40 to 60% of cases could be eliminated with lifestyle modifications.
Heart Disease can be mitigated with lifestyle changes. We’ve discussed this on the blog before . and here. According to this study 40 to 60% of cases could be eliminated with lifestyle modifications which sound easy, but of course, can be hard depending on your life circumstances. Healthy diet, exercise and weight reduction, of course are key components.
Modifiable Risk Factors and Attributable Burden of Cardiac Arrest: An Exposome-wide and Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Background
In this study, we aimed to identify nonclinical modifiable risk factors associated with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) incidence, and to assess attributable burden.
Methods
Data on 125 potentially modifiable risk factors were extracted from the UK Biobank cohort. An exposome-wide association study was conducted using a Cox proportional hazard model, followed by validation of significant associations using Mendelian randomization to identify causal relationships. The attributable burden of SCA was evaluated on the basis of improvements in unfavourable profiles. We also evaluated the attributable burden to be eliminated via improvement of unfavourable profiles.
Results
Of 502,094 individuals, 3147 developed SCA during a median follow-up duration of 13.8 years. SCA was associated with 56 risk factors spanning lifestyles, physical measures, psychosocial factors, socioeconomic status, and the local environment. Mendelian randomization analysis confirmed protective effects associated with 2 factors (ie, higher rates of consumption of champagne and/or white wine and fruit intake) and adverse effects associated with 7 factors (ie, time spent using the computer, fed-up feelings, greater arm fat mass and percentage, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and lower education level). Between 40% (conservative elimination) and 63% (thorough elimination) of SCA cases could be prevented by improving unfavourable profiles, with lifestyle modifications accounting for the largest proportion of preventable cases, followed by improvements in physical measures, psychosocial factors, socioeconomic status, and the local environment.
Conclusions
This large-scale, prospective cohort study offers compelling evidence on the profile of modifiable risk factors and the attributable burden of SCA.
Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2022 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association
Author Info & Affiliations
Circulation
The American Heart Association, in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, annually reports the most up-to-date statistics related to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular risk factors, including core health behaviors (smoking, physical activity, diet, and weight) and health factors (cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose control) that contribute to cardiovascular health. The Statistical Update presents the latest data on a range of major clinical heart and circulatory disease conditions (including stroke, congenital heart disease, rhythm disorders, subclinical atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, heart failure, valvular disease, venous disease, and peripheral artery disease) and the associated outcomes (including quality of care, procedures, and economic costs).
Methods:
The American Heart Association, through its Statistics Committee, continuously monitors and evaluates sources of data on heart disease and stroke in the United States to provide the most current information available in the annual Statistical Update. The 2022 Statistical Update is the product of a full year’s worth of effort by dedicated volunteer clinicians and scientists, committed government professionals, and American Heart Association staff members. This year’s edition includes data on the monitoring and benefits of cardiovascular health in the population and an enhanced focus on social determinants of health, adverse pregnancy outcomes, vascular contributions to brain health, and the global burden of cardiovascular disease and healthy life expectancy.
Results:
Each of the chapters in the Statistical Update focuses on a different topic related to heart disease and stroke statistics.
Conclusions:
The Statistical Update represents a critical resource for the lay public, policymakers, media professionals, clinicians, health care administrators, researchers, health advocates, and others seeking the best available data on these factors and conditions.
