The line graph below depicts trends in cardiovascular disease deaths among adult male and female in the America from 1979 to 2001. Overall, the data reveal a consistent decline in mortality rates for both genders over the 22-year period, reflecting improvements in healthcare and awareness of heart disease prevention. However, the patients in four years, from 1979 to 2001 shows the progress of American citizens in realizing the danger of this disease.
Overall, there are large differences in mortality trends between men and women. In 1979, more men were reported to die from cardiovascular disease, about 500,000 and about 470,000 cases, respectively. The number of deaths in both sexes trended upward from 1979 to 1981 before decreasing slightly over the next two years. Since then, cardiovascular diseases have caused fewer and fewer deaths in male patients.
On the one hand, the trend of female is much more complex, with sudden increases and decreases. In the last year of the survey – 2001, the number of female patients who died was nearly 500,000, significantly higher than that of men.
For men, the sharpest decline occurred during the 1980s, with the rate tapering off slightly in the 1990s. Women, on the other hand, experienced a steadier and more gradual decrease throughout the entire period. Despite the reductions, men consistently had higher rates than women at all points.
The most significant decrease was recorded in the period from 1989 to 1993 during which time the lowest figure was recorded at only 440,000 in the year 1993.