State of the union’s cardiovascular health: gains, but not for everyone ‘You can’t treat your way out of a prevention problem,’ says author of major new cardiology report

https://www.statnews.com/2026/01/12/american-cardiovascular-health-new-study-shows-mixed-results/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_567o35NoER-IX_ky2051ov0RZZ8NwF1b-yLtTya4jmDtSB0KyP3aQiV67veJaVM7inKExO43CPjVuVMbcun4vPqHhCA&_hsmi=398170968&utm_content=398170968&utm_source=hs_email By Elizabeth CooneyJan. 12, 2026 Cardiovascular Disease Reporter State of the union’s cardiovascular health A new analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology paints a picture of disease burden, quality of care, and mortality trends in the U.S. Some notable stats include: Half of Americans still have high blood pressure, unchanged from 2009 to 2023. Rates of coronary heart disease have been rising since 2019, and only half of people who could benefit from medications are taking them. Hospitalizations for heart attacks have fallen — except they’ve increased among young people. “What’s surprising is how wide the gap is between what we know works and what’s happening in practice,” the study’s lead author, cardiologist Rishi Wadhera, told STAT’s Elizabeth Cooney. “A meaningful part of this story is uniquely American.” Read the Q&A for details on the report’s biggest surprises, where we may be going backwards, and more.