Costs for heart disease treatment is on pace to triple by 2030 to a total of $545 billion, according to the American Heart Association. The AHA estimates the cost increase is due to the general aging of the American populace.
A physician who headed the panel which issued the statement, Dr. Paul Heidenreich, stated that cost-cutting measures for heart disease treatment and maintenance, were desperately needed.
“Despite the successes in reducing and treating heart disease over the last half century,” Heidenreich said. “Even if we just maintain our current rates, we will have an enormous financial burden on top of the disease itself.”
By 2030, the study found, roughly 116 million Americans will suffer from some form of heart disease, such as high blood pressure, stroke, or heart attack.
Mayo Clinic advises the best way to avoid heart disease is to adopt a healthy lifestyle today:
- Avoid smoking
- Exercise for 30 minutes on the most days of the week
- Eat a healthy diet, increasing fruits and vegetable and eating several servings of fish
- Limit yourself to one alcoholic beverage a day
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get good quality sleep
- Get regular health screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes
Avoiding risk factors like poor diet and insufficient exercise can help Americans avoid heart disease and conditions such as high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack.