Cardiovascular disease costs will exceed $1 trillion by 2035

So I came across this article about CVD and how the costs of treating this disease will rise (primarily in the aging population) by the time people hit their senior years.

Firstly let's look at the definition of CVD:

www.mayoclinic.org...

Plaque buildup thickens and stiffens artery walls, which can inhibit blood flow through your arteries to your organs and tissues. Atherosclerosis is also the most common cause of cardiovascular disease. It can be caused by correctable problems, such as an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, being overweight and smoking.

So we understand that bad habits are the cause. The problem today is that most people do not form the healthy habits of preventing the problem of CVD in their later life.

Cardiovascular disease costs will exceed $1 trillion by 2035
www.eurekalert.org...

According to the study, in the next two decades, the number of Americans with cardiovascular disease will rise to 131.2 million - 45 percent of the total U.S. population - with costs expected to reach $1.1 trillion.

"Mostly driven by the aging of the population, the prevalence and costs of cardiovascular disease are expected to increase significantly in the next 20 years with total costs reaching over a $1.1 trillion by 2035," said Olga Khavjou, economist in RTI's public health economics program and lead author of the study.

The new projections are an update of those made by the association in 2011 that estimated around 100 million Americans would suffer from cardiovascular disease by 2030. This latest study projects that by 2035, there will be:

123.2 million Americans with high blood pressure
24 million coronary heart disease patients
11.2 million suffering from stroke
7.2 million Americans with atrial fibrillation

By age 45, your cardiovascular disease risk is 50 percent, at 65 it jumps to 80 percent

Currently, cardiovascular disease is the costliest disease in our nation, with a price tag of $555 billion in 2016. Yet, today's study suggests that the economic burden of cardiovascular disease will only get worse. By 2035, costs will be in the trillions. Specifically, the total cardiovascular disease costs across all conditions are projected to more than triple among those age 80+ and more than double among those ages 65-79.

To address the escalating burden highlighted in this report, the association recommends the following specific changes in federal policies:
Increased funding for heart and stroke research by the National Institutes of Health
Enhanced focus on prevention to improve and preserve population health from birth to old age
Preservation and expansion of access to high-quality affordable health care
there are others here but you can read them for yourself

Finally, protections for patients with pre-existing conditions are vitally important for Americans who have or will develop cardiovascular disease. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of adults under age 65 have conditions that would have precluded them from health insurance coverage under the pre-existing condition and medical underwriting rules that existed in most states before the Affordable Care Act. The association urges Congress to maintain the ban on pre-existing condition exclusions as they consider changes to the ACA. These protections will continue to be critical for Americans with heart disease or stroke now and in future years.

The association welcomes the opportunity to work with Congress and the new administration to find ways to wipe out the burden of cardiovascular disease and build an improved culture of health in our country."

As prevention and developing a culture of healthy lifestyles will be key to lowering health care costs as well as improving of your life expectancy I think it is also important to know if the state you live in will also add to the risk of you developing CVD. This is not a direct correlation but can be a factor.



Certainly diet and other factors early on will affect you later in life. It may be hard to curb these bad habits but if you want to see your medical bills remain affordable, then you really should get your act together asap.



Eat your fruits and veggies, get your exercising in, abstain from smoking and excessive drinking, no more fatty burgers and processed foods (only in moderation), and definitely less caffeine and sugary beverages!

I hope this can be a wake up call to some and above all you really need to get a feel for the situation about how poor healthy choices in life can really add up and drive medicare costs through the roof!

originally posted by: Skywatcher2011
So I came across this article about CVD and how the costs of treating this disease will rise (primarily in the aging population) by the time people hit their senior years.

Firstly let's look at the definition of CVD:

www.mayoclinic.org...

Plaque buildup thickens and stiffens artery walls, which can inhibit blood flow through your arteries to your organs and tissues. Atherosclerosis is also the most common cause of cardiovascular disease. It can be caused by correctable problems, such as an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, being overweight and smoking.

So we understand that bad habits are the cause. The problem today is that most people do not form the healthy habits of preventing the problem of CVD in their later life.

Cardiovascular disease costs will exceed $1 trillion by 2035
www.eurekalert.org...

According to the study, in the next two decades, the number of Americans with cardiovascular disease will rise to 131.2 million - 45 percent of the total U.S. population - with costs expected to reach $1.1 trillion.

"Mostly driven by the aging of the population, the prevalence and costs of cardiovascular disease are expected to increase significantly in the next 20 years with total costs reaching over a $1.1 trillion by 2035," said Olga Khavjou, economist in RTI's public health economics program and lead author of the study.

The new projections are an update of those made by the association in 2011 that estimated around 100 million Americans would suffer from cardiovascular disease by 2030. This latest study projects that by 2035, there will be:

123.2 million Americans with high blood pressure
24 million coronary heart disease patients
11.2 million suffering from stroke
7.2 million Americans with atrial fibrillation

By age 45, your cardiovascular disease risk is 50 percent, at 65 it jumps to 80 percent

Currently, cardiovascular disease is the costliest disease in our nation, with a price tag of $555 billion in 2016. Yet, today's study suggests that the economic burden of cardiovascular disease will only get worse. By 2035, costs will be in the trillions. Specifically, the total cardiovascular disease costs across all conditions are projected to more than triple among those age 80+ and more than double among those ages 65-79.

To address the escalating burden highlighted in this report, the association recommends the following specific changes in federal policies:
Increased funding for heart and stroke research by the National Institutes of Health
Enhanced focus on prevention to improve and preserve population health from birth to old age
Preservation and expansion of access to high-quality affordable health care
there are others here but you can read them for yourself

Finally, protections for patients with pre-existing conditions are vitally important for Americans who have or will develop cardiovascular disease. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of adults under age 65 have conditions that would have precluded them from health insurance coverage under the pre-existing condition and medical underwriting rules that existed in most states before the Affordable Care Act. The association urges Congress to maintain the ban on pre-existing condition exclusions as they consider changes to the ACA. These protections will continue to be critical for Americans with heart disease or stroke now and in future years.

The association welcomes the opportunity to work with Congress and the new administration to find ways to wipe out the burden of cardiovascular disease and build an improved culture of health in our country."

As prevention and developing a culture of healthy lifestyles will be key to lowering health care costs as well as improving of your life expectancy I think it is also important to know if the state you live in will also add to the risk of you developing CVD. This is not a direct correlation but can be a factor.

Certainly diet and other factors early on will affect you later in life. It may be hard to curb these bad habits but if you want to see your medical bills remain affordable, then you really should get your act together asap.

Eat your fruits and veggies, get your exercising in, abstain from smoking and excessive drinking, no more fatty burgers and processed foods (only in moderation), and definitely less caffeine and sugary beverages!

I hope this can be a wake up call to some and above all you really need to get a feel for the situation about how poor healthy choices in life can really add up and drive medicare costs through the roof!

The only way people would take this seriously is if they bore the entire cost of their lifestyle choices... As it stands right now, there is no real penalty for being a fat ass. Your healthcare is covered. Sooner or later, there will be single payer and then the rest of us will be paying for others to eat all the burgers they want.

So we understand that bad habits are the cause.

As someone that has had cardiovascular disease for the last 16 years. I am here to say.

There are other causes than diet or lack of exercise.

Viral infection can, and does screw A LOT of people up.

Perfectly healthy one day, and in a single instant.

Life altering event.

Forgot to add that in America at least, obesity and poor health is highly concentrated in lower income communities.

a reply to: neo96

Although I did say that bad habits are the cause, but by all means they aren't the only cause and you are right. Other factors contribute to the cause and I am sorry to hear you have been affected by CVD and more power to you in getting healthy.

www.drdavidwilliams.com...

So buy a pineapple once in a while or just eat a grapefruit once or twice a week.

Also onions contain bromelain and they also contain other chemistry that keeps platelets from sticking together.

Remember, bromelain and onions both thin blood, so ask your doctor first if you are on blood thinners already.

You can also get bromelain as a supplement, it is pretty cheap. It is good to get rid of the headache I get from milk. It also breaks up mucus in the sinuses to help get rid of those headaches too.

If you get pineapple juice, get fresh unpasturized stuff in the refrigerator section or frozen concentrate works well too. Pineapple is way stronger than the pills, four ounces is about the same as four pills. Remember, taking out that plaque too fast is not good, start slowly. This is not a miracle cure, it just has some good properties.

a reply to: Skywatcher2011

Is it not Triglycerides (small) that cause a lot of this?

And is Triglycerides caused by carbohydrates?

And of course sugar is a huge problem.

And I find that cholesterol is a horrible way to for tell cardiovascular problems, lots of heart attacks with people with low cholesterol.

a reply to: neo96

Is this a I didn't even know I had a virus situation?

If so that is horrible, I hope you are doing well.

Any tip for people who have not had this issue with a virus?

a reply to: seasonal

I'm fine.

Or at least as well as can be expected.

It's not something I have ever talked about on here.

This is a one hit wonder so to speak.

Tips ?

Be prepared for superfluous testing.

originally posted by: neo96

So we understand that bad habits are the cause.

As someone that has had cardiovascular disease for the last 16 years. I am here to say.

There are other causes than diet or lack of exercise.

Viral infection can, and does screw A LOT of people up.

Perfectly healthy one day, and in a single instant.

Life altering event.

I've read about viruses doing that. I didn't spend any time researching how that worked though. Maybe I will study that a little to see what the viruses actually do. I know they can damage the lungs, but I read they can also damage the heart and circulatory system.

a reply to: rickymouse

Viral infections can enlarge and weaken the heart muscle.

Cardiovascular disease and Cardiomyopathy go hand in hand.

The medications that come with it control blood pressure, and diuretics to get rid of excess water retention.

A person has to watch what they eat.

Be prepared for easily fatiguing. Shortness of breath, and moronic nurse practitioners obsessed with cholesterol testing., and $1000 echocardiograms.

An elarged and weakened heart means the heart muscle isn't pumping as much or as efficiently as a normal one. That does effect the circulatory system.

Vein size does decrease from reduced flow. Swollen ankles is a indicator of something going wrong, PAD is something people need to look out for.

Peripheral Artery disease.

And it goes on.

A person can eat all the right foods.

Do all the right exercises.

But viral infections.

Is a game changer.

It's a snippy life to be honest.

a reply to: Skywatcher2011

Have some Kale. :p

a reply to: neo96

Don't forget genetics, some people are dead before 30 from homogeneous familial hypercholesteremia.

On that note heterogeneous familial hypercholeseremia is thought to be a rate of 1 in 200. These conditions set you up to fail.

Vitamin c is tied to heart disease.. .rather a lack of v-c is tied to heart disease (along with v-e and CoQ10).

The data is pretty convincing... it seems a sub clinical scurvy is tied to cvd, specifically... or at least is one of the main causes.