More people in the US died from cardiovascular-related causes in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, than in any year since 2003, according to the American Heart Association’s 2023 update.
The biggest increases in deaths were seen among Asian, Black and Hispanic people, it reported.
While the pandemic’s effects on death rates may not be noticed for several years, lessons learned offer major opportunities to address structural and societal issues that drive health disparities, said Association leaders.
Michelle A Albert, a Cardiology Chair, said: “COVID-19 has both direct and indirect impacts on cardiovascular health. As we learned, the virus is associated with new clotting and inflammation.
“We also know that many people who had new or existing heart disease and stroke symptoms were reluctant to seek medical care, particularly in the early days of the pandemic. This resulted in people presenting with more advanced stages of cardiovascular conditions and needing more acute or urgent treatment for what may have been manageable chronic conditions.”
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