Abstract 10094: National Trends in Deaths Due to Heart Disease and Cancer in the Elderly: 20 Year-Data

Abstract

Heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death in the United States. The aim of this study was to examine the trends in heart disease and cancer-related deaths in the elderly population in the United States from 1999 to 2019. Methods: The CDC Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) was used to access the National Vital Statistics System data from 1999 to 2019. Heart and cancer-related deaths, age >/=75 years, and sex were identified. Deaths were represented as age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) per 100,000 population. Joinpoint regression was used to examine changes in trend and annual percentage change (APC) overall. Results: AAMR related to heart disease decreased from 4587 in 1999 to 3235.6 in 2019 (average APC -1.8[95% CI, -1.9 to -1.6]). AAMR was higher in men (4375.6) than women (3287). Among the racial/ethnic groups, AAMR was highest in non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs) (3926.2). APC in AAMR decreased across all the subgroups. After initial decline, the decrease in APC in AAMR decelerated overall (-0.7) and in both women (-0.9) and men (-0.7) since 2011. AAMR related to cancer decreased from 1770.51 in 1999 to 1379.91 in 2019 (average APC -1.3[95% CI, -1.3 to -1.2]). AAMR was higher in men (2104) than women (1262.7). Among the racial/ethnic groups, AAMR was highest in NHBs (1695.2). APC in AAMR decreased across all the subgroups. After an initial decline, the decrease in APC in AAMR accelerated overall (-1.5) and in men (-1.9) since 2007 and in women (-1.3) since 2006. Conclusion: Heart disease and cancer related mortality in elderly has been decreasing at a variable pace over the last twenty years. The decrease in the heart disease related mortality has decelerated in last several years whereas the decline in cancer related mortality has decelerated. Further research with targeted interventions in both these diseases is needed.