Tackling Cardiovascular Health: Balancing Advancements with Social Determinants of Health

In recent years, the landscape of cardiovascular health has undergone significant changes, with advancements in proactive cardiac care offering healthcare administrators and clinicians more opportunities to identify CVD risks and support patients. However, challenges remain as CVD is expected to become more serious and widespread in the future, particularly in low and middle-income countries where 80% of cardiovascular deaths occur.

The age-standardized death rate from CVD in the United States has decreased from over 500 in 1950 to just over 130 in 2021. This improvement is attributed to interventions that have been developed to prevent heart disease. It is now believed that 90% of heart disease can be prevented through these interventions. However, addressing social determinants of health will be crucial in reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in the future.

Social determinants of health, such as low socioeconomic status, lack of educational and economic opportunities, lack of support from peers for healthier lifestyle choices, and increased psychosocial stressors all contribute to this risk factor. Therefore, it is important for healthcare administrators and clinicians to understand population health trends and the role providers can play in identifying and addressing CVD risks early on. Personalized approaches should also be integrated into treatment plans to tailor interventions to individual patients’ unique needs and circumstances.