Heart Failure Mortality Rising Sharply in Younger U.S. Adults
A Heart Failure Society of America report says U.S. heart failure deaths rose 37% from 2010 to 2023, reversing earlier progress. Deaths doubled among adults aged 25 to 64, with a 121% rise in ages 25–44 from 2010 to 2020 and a 96% rise in ages 45–64. The report attributes the trend partly to chronic health conditions becoming more common in younger Americans.
The report, issued by the Heart Failure Society of America, notes that heart failure was once viewed mainly as a condition of older age. It found deaths among adults 25–64 doubled, while the increase for those 65 and older was about 23%. Among younger adults 25–44, deaths rose 121% from 2010 to 2020; for ages 45–64, the rise was 96%.
Additional findings link risk to common chronic conditions: roughly one-third of patients have high blood pressure, one-third obesity, and two-fifths diabetes. Black Americans face the highest rates, and several Southern states repeatedly rank among the highest. Projected U.S. costs may climb from $312 billion to $858 billion by 2050.
The shift toward younger deaths could affect working-age adults, families, and caregivers, potentially reducing workforce participation and increasing caregiving and medical costs. Communities with already high heart failure rates, including Black Americans and parts of the South and Appalachia, may face disproportionate strain. If trends continue, prevention, earlier diagnosis, and access to proven treatments could become more urgent priorities for health systems and employers.