Signature Reports
National Forum Releases Signature Report: COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Disease – Two Pandemics: Collision and Chain Reaction (2021)
Today, the National Forum unveiled the 2021 Signature Report: COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Disease – Two Pandemics: Collision and Chain Reaction, authored by Dr. Stephen Sidney.
Highlights of the Sidney Report:
• Heart disease and stroke death rates rose sharply, and racial and ethnic disparities skyrocketed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• “COVID-19 is worsening the cardiovascular disease pandemic, and cardiovascular conditions continue to intensify the COVID-19 pandemic. These intertwined processes victimize people of all races, especially Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black people.”
• The U.S.’ prioritization of adults ages 65 and over for COVID-19 vaccination “unintentionally contributed to disparities in the burden of COVID-19. This age level protects a much greater proportion of Whites than people who are Hispanic or Non-Hispanic Black” because of demographic differences.
• COVID-19 pushed the CVD death rate higher due to several factors such as strains on medical care capacity, people’s reluctance because of COVID to get routine and even emergency care, and COVID’s direct harm to the heart.
The report recommends actions to reduce the burden of both pandemics:
• Raise understanding that cardiovascular disease prevention is COVID-19 prevention and COVID-19 prevention is cardiovascular disease prevention.
• Encourage and empower people to be more physically active. Research shows that physical activity reduces risk for both serious COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease.
• Maximize the COVID-19 vaccination rate in all people of eligible ages.
National Forum Releases Signature Report: Cutting Straight to the Heart: A pandemic lays bare the inequity of heart disease in America (2020)
Today, the National Forum unveiled the 2020 Signature Report: Cutting Straight to the Heart: A pandemic lays bare the inequity of heart disease in America, authored by Dr. Stephen Sidney. The report discusses the causes and consequences of COVID-19 on cardiovascular health and disparities. Neglected cardiovascular health & diseases costs money & lives. The SignatureReport highlights actions to decrease the burden of cardiovascular risk & disease, COVID-19 & health inequities. Download the Report.
The “Silver Tsunami:” Aging of Baby Boomers Creates Dangerous Wave of Heart Disease, Heart Failure (2019)
The report discusses the increasing rates of heart failure, paired with the fast growing senior population, as being the “Silver Tsunami” heading towards the U.S. While the rate of heart disease rate has decreased, the death rate from heart failure has increased, especially for those 65+. Prevention is key to reducing heart failure deaths in our aging population. The research highlighted in the report was released in an article today in JAMA Cardiology. Check out the Wall Street Journal piece by Betsy McKay. And, listen to a podcast featuring Drs. Sidney & Rana discussing their research.
Losing ground: Heart Disease and Stroke Deaths Hit Hardest Right in the Middle –Cardiovascular Disease Trend Impacting 45-64 Year Olds (2018)
Calls attention to a disturbing trend in the overall death rate from cardiovascular disease (CVD) impacting people ages 45-64. While the overall death rate from CVD has declined considerably since 2000, the decline has been slower in the 45-64 age group. In fact, the death rate from CVD actually increased 2% from 2011-2016 in people ages 45-64. In 2016 alone, more than 120,000 people in this age group died from heart disease and stroke.
Wrong Direction: Troubling Trends in the Rate of U.S. Cardiovascular Disease Deaths (2017)
Cardiovascular diseases account for more than 30 percent of all deaths in the United States. For 22 years, thanks to significant advances in treatment and prevention, the rate of death from these diseases has steadily declined. Recent data shows that this downward trend has slowed, and, in fact, increased by 53,000 since 2011.