Silver Book Fact
Through advances in risk-factor assessment, detection, and preventive strategies, the average age of acute myocardial infarction and heart failure patients has shifted around 10 to 15 years forward. One-year acute myocardial infarction mortality (after making it to the hospital alive) has decreased from 40% to 4-8%, in the last 20 years. One-year mortality for heart failure patients was reduced from 50% to 25% over that same time period.
Weisfeldt M, Zeiman S. Advances in the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease: One of the most important contributors to improved human survival is the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Health Aff. 2007; 26(1): 25-37. http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/26/1/25