What is worse than having a heart attack? Having two. That is the harsh reality for335,000 Americans each year. Patients who survive a heart attack are at high risk of experiencing early recurrent cardiovascular events, which are associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality.
A recent study published in Circulation found that between 2008 and 2017, despite the advancements made in cardiovascular care, the overall recurrent event rates remain very high.
Results showed of the 1.4 million Americans discharged from the hospital after a heart attack, there were 97,024 total secondary heart attacks and 193,571 recurrent cardiovascular events in the first year following the initial heart attack. Additionally, rates of recurrent heart attack, recurrent cardiovascular events and death continue to be higher among men than women.
According to the American Heart Association, those who survive are at increased risk to experience another heart attack or to die within one year after they leave the hospital.
“The high rate of recurrent events in heart attack survivors is exactly why CSL Behring initiated the AEGIS-II study, the largest clinical trial in our company’s history,” said Jeff McFadden, Global Vice President, Commercial Development, for CSL Behring’s Cardiovascular and Metabolic Therapeutic Area. “Our mission within the Cardiovascular & Metabolic Therapeutic Area is to develop innovative therapies that serve the unmet needs of patients with serious cardiovascular and metabolic diseases worldwide.”
While some progress has been made in cardiovascular care, it’s clear much more needs to be done to help protect heart attack survivors from recurrent heart attacks and secondary events.
