Trends in heart failure mortality in Sweden between 1997 and 2022

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• US data show worsening heart failure (HF) mortality trends.
• It's unclear if these trends apply to European healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess temporal trends in HF-related mortality in Sweden.
• Evaluate all-cause mortality post-HF diagnosis, stratified by ejection fraction (EF).

Main Methods:

• Extracted HF-related mortality data from the Swedish Cause of Death Register (1997-2022).
• Analyzed all-cause mortality in HF cohorts from the National Patient Register and Swedish HF Registry.
• Calculated average annual percentage change (AAPC) for temporal trends.

Main Results:

• Age-adjusted HF-related mortality in Sweden decreased by 2.15% annually (1997-2022).
• One-year all-cause mortality post-HF diagnosis declined by 1.10% annually.
• Mortality decline was steeper in HF with reduced EF compared to preserved EF.

Conclusions:

• HF-related mortality has significantly declined in Sweden over ~25 years.
• All-cause mortality in HF patients has also decreased.
• Treatment availability likely influences mortality trends across different EF levels.