Focusing on heart health: cardiovascular trends
Nearly 61% of U.S. adults will be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease by 2050, as predicted by new research from the American Heart Association (AHA). The biggest driver of cardiovascular disease trends is a result of the increasing number of people in the U.S. who already have or will develop high blood pressure. High blood pressure results in individuals being much more likely to develop life-threatening health issues including heart attacks, arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, heart failure and congenital heart disease.
Despite treatment innovations, heart disease has been a leading cause of death among Americans for decades, and it is responsible for more than 800,000 deaths every year.
The AHA also predicts that 45 million adults will have some form of cardiovascular disease or will have a stroke (excluding high blood pressure) stroke in 2050, which is up from 28 million in 2020. Though cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in America, it can be prevented through certain lifestyle changes, according to Mayo Clinic. Not smoking or using tobacco, engaging in 30 to 60 minutes of exercise or physical activity, eating a nutritious diet, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing life stressors, and getting regular health screening tests can help reduce an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease breakthrough
Inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS) is a variety of symptoms that affect the digestive system. Symptoms include abdominal pain, cramps, constipation, diarrhea, or a combination of each. IBS is the most common disease that gastroenterologists diagnose, with experts estimating that about 10-15 percent of adults in the U.S. have IBS, according to Cleveland Clinic.
A portion of the immune system that researchers have discovered are associated with IBS are within white blood cells called macrophages, according to BBC. These macrophages flood the linings of the intestines where they release chemicals, called cytokines, that lead to inflammation. Inflammation is part of the body’s normal response to infection, but if it goes on for long periods of time, can have drastic health consequences.
A group of researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and University College London performed a genetic analysis to determine the cause of IBS. Researchers discovered a section of genetic code, or DNA, that turns out to be the macrophage’s “master regulator” of inflammation, according to BBC. The gene identified controls the suite of inflammatory chemicals the macrophages release. Some people are born with a version of the gene that make their body prone to responding excessively. Research breakthroughs such as this one allow researchers to better understand and develop more effective treatment options for patients living with IBS.
Long Covid’s impact on the healthcare system
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have released a report recognizing the seriousness of long Covid on the healthcare industry. The condition, which is developed by patients after a Covid-19 infection, is persistent and impactful for millions of Americans. Long Covid often affects a patient’s ability to function, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, afflicting people of all ages.
The National Academies report highlighted data from 2022 that showed nearly 18 million adults and nearly a million children in the U.S. had long Covid at some point. The year that the survey was conducted, about 8.9 million adults and 362,000 children had the condition. The National Academies have identified more than 200 symptoms associated with long Covid, and the disease has been found to impact nearly every organ in the body.
The ongoing symptoms of the disease are both difficult to treat and costly to the U.S. healthcare system, as there is not yet a standardized way to diagnose or treat the variety of ways long Covid presents in patients. Troublesome symptoms can prevent patients from living their everyday life, causing them to be unable to attend work, school, or perform daily responsibilities.
Individuals that had more severe Covid symptoms during the initial infection were more likely to develop long Covid, according to the National Academices report, however, anyone who was infected with Covid previously were at risk of experiencing the persistent symptoms associated with long Covid. Because long Covid varies so widely from person to person and affects so many body systems, each case must be approached individually by healthcare professionals.