Good News About Heart Disease

Heart disease deaths in the US have declined since the 1970s, a new study found, but southern states saw slower declines.

This study, led by Michele Casper, PhD, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, looked at adults 35 and older in over 3,000 counties between 1973 and 2010.

During that time, counties saw declines in heart disease deaths that ranged from 9.2 to 83.4 percent. Counties in the northern portion of the US saw greater declines overall, while counties in states like Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana were on the slower side.

This study didn't look at the reasons behind these changes, but Dr. Casper and team suggested that they could be due to more heart-healthy policies, smoke-free environments, increased emphasis on exercise and healthier diets.

This study was published March 21 in the journal Circulation.

The CDC funded this research. The authors disclosed no conflicts of interest.