Study: More Americans ages 18-54 are dying from severe first heart attacks

Even some 35-year-olds are at risk for severe heart
attacks. (Photo by E. Akurt, Unsplash)

Death by heart attack used to be a worry for only older Americans, but a new study revealed an alarming increase in heart attack deaths among younger Americans. The results are particularly worrisome for younger rural Americans who tend to have less access to preventative medical treatment, are more likely to smoke cigarettes and often face longer drives to reach emergency care. 

"The proportion of adults ages 18 to 54 who died in a hospital of a severe first heart attack rose 57% between 2011 and 2022, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association," reports Betsy McKay of The Wall Street Journal. The study data showed that more than 75% of severe heart attack deaths were men, and 71% were between the ages of 45 and 54 years.

The increase in heart attacks deaths is yet another indicator younger Americans aren't as healthy as previous generations. McKay writes, "Poorer health among younger adults is one reason heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S."

Americans who died after a heart attack often had other underlying chronic health issues or smoked. "About 60% had high blood pressure, while more than half also had high cholesterol and smoked. About a quarter had diabetes."

Younger adults need to be warned that the risk of heart attacks can begin "as early as age 35," McKay adds. "Younger people could use a risk calculator on the AHA’s website." Experts recommend using the 30-year estimate rather than a 10-year one for greater accuracy.