{
  "id": 17777480,
  "title": "Deaths from heart valve disease rising among U.S. adults ages 65 and older",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/deaths-from-heart-valve-disease-rising-among-u-s-adults-ages-65-and",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-02T10:00:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-deaths-heart-valve-disease-adults.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Deaths from heart valve disease are on the rise among U.S. adults aged 65 and older, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2026. After a period of decline, mortality rates from valvular heart disease increased from 2018 to 2023 and are expected to remain high through 2040. Heart valve disease affects the heart's four valves and is becoming an increasingly important health concern as the population ages. In the U.S., heart valve disease contributes to over 57,000 deaths annually. The study analyzed death data from 1999 to 2023 and projected future trends. While younger generations in their late 60s saw improvements in death rates, those gains did not persist into very old age, with older adults (85 and older) having higher death rates compared to previous generations of the same age. Men, non-Hispanic white adults, and rural residents had higher rates. The American Heart Association's Target: Aortic Stenosis and Heart Valve Initiative aim to improve diagnosis, treatment, and care delivery for individuals with heart valve disease.",
  "summary": "After nearly two decades of decline, valvular heart disease death rates have increased from 2018 to 2023 and are predicted to remain elevated through 2040, according to independent, new preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2026, held Nov. 6–9 in Chicago.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}