Global heart health leader OMRON Healthcare has launched an urgent public awareness initiative across the United States to spotlight a concerning trend: while deaths from heart attacks have declined, mortality from arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (AFib), heart failure, and hypertensive heart disease is on the rise—posing a new challenge in the fight against cardiovascular disease.
This message coincides with OMRON’s global campaign to raise awareness about AFib, the most common form of heart arrhythmia, which significantly increases the risk of stroke if left undetected or untreated.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association analyzed mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spanning 1970 to 2022. The analysis revealed that while heart disease has consistently accounted for nearly one-third of all deaths in the U.S. over the past 52 years, the nature of those deaths has shifted.
"Thanks to early diagnosis, greater public awareness, and improved interventions, deaths from heart attacks have fallen sharply. But we're now seeing an alarming surge in other forms of heart disease," said Alice Koehler, Managing Director of OMRON Healthcare North America. “This underscores the urgent need for early detection and proactive management of conditions like AFib and heart failure.”
In 1970, heart attacks were responsible for 54% of heart disease deaths. By 2022, that figure had dropped to under one-third—a remarkable 89% reduction in the age-adjusted death rate from heart attacks.
Over the same period, deaths from arrhythmias, heart failure, and hypertensive heart disease increased by 81%, now accounting for 47% of all heart disease-related deaths.
Dr. Latha Palaniappan, senior author of the study and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, emphasized that as more people survive heart attacks, a new priority has emerged: helping them age with healthier hearts. “Prevention must now begin early in life,” she noted.
OMRON Healthcare is urging the public to take the following actions to combat rising cardiovascular risks:
Monitor Blood Pressure at Home: Daily or weekly monitoring can detect early signs of hypertension, which often shows no symptoms until it’s too late.
Use Smart Technology for Early AFib Detection: OMRON’s AI-powered blood pressure monitors now enable early detection of AFib from home, offering critical lead time for treatment.
Leverage Digital Health Tools: Apps like OMRON Connect sync with blood pressure monitors, track health data, provide alerts, and share insights directly with physicians.
Consult Your Physician: Discuss personal risk factors for arrhythmias, heart failure, and high blood pressure. Ask about home monitoring tools that offer a fuller picture of your heart health.
Since its first launch of home-use blood pressure monitors more than five decades ago, OMRON has sold over 350 million units worldwide and remains the top recommended brand by doctors and pharmacists.
“Our mission is ‘Going for Zero’—zero heart attacks and strokes,” said Koehler. “The dramatic reduction in heart attack deaths over the past 50 years shows us what's possible. Now, we must apply that same focus and urgency to today’s biggest threats: arrhythmias, heart failure, and hypertension.”