Trends in cardiovascular mortality among disaggregated Asian American subgroups: 2018-2022

Asian Americans, one of the fastest-growing racial groups, experienced an increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of our study was to examine specific trends in CVD mortality rates in Asian American subgroups from 2018 through 2022 to better contextualize trends before and after the pandemic.

We analyzed US death certificate data for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure (HF) in non-Hispanic Asian American subgroups (Chinese, Filipino, Asian Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese) and Non-Hispanic White individuals before and during the pandemic. We calculated age-standardized mortality rates, proportional mortality ratios, and annual percent change of age-standardized mortality rates for IHD and HF.

During the study period, there was no significant change in IHD mortality rate for all Asian American subgroups and for Non-Hispanic Whites during the study period. HF mortality rate significantly increased in Vietnamese American females (11.6% per year [95% CI, 2.2-23.0]). The highest mortality rates were found in Asian Indian and Filipino American males and Asian Indian American females.

There was heterogeneity in cardiovascular mortality rates among Asian American subgroups, with IHD mortality rate stagnant in all subgroups between 2018 to 2022 and HF mortality rate increasing among Vietnamese American females during the study period. Greater surveillance of the burden of and mortality from CVD is needed for all Asian American subgroups.