2026 – U.S. Cardiovascular Health Report “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” — JACC
2026 – U.S. Cardiovascular Health Report
“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” — JACC
Source: JACC, January 12, 2026
• Big picture: Despite past progress, cardiovascular outcomes are worsening in several areas, mainly due to aging, lifestyle factors, and system stress.
• Hypertension:
• ~1 in 3 patients are untreated.
• Only ~2 out of 3 treated patients reach BP targets.
• BP-related mortality has nearly doubled. → BP control remains a top priority in primary care.
• Lipids (LDL-C):
• Many patients with known ASCVD are still above LDL targets.
• Statins and add-on therapies are underused.
• Coronary disease & MI:
Progress up to 2019 — then a clear reversal, with rising MI rates, particularly among adults aged 25–64.
• Emphasizes early risk-factor control in younger patients.
• Smoking:
• Clear success story — smoking rates continue to fall.
Heart Failure
• Mortality declined until 2011, then reversed after 2011, with outcomes worsening in subsequent years.
• Incidence remains high.
• A significant proportion of eligible patients do not receive full guideline-directed therapy at target doses.
• PAD & Stroke:
• PAD is often missed and undertreated, with high amputation risk.
• Stroke mortality down and care improved, but prevention gaps remain.
Take-home message :
Focus on early detection, aggressive risk-factor control, guideline-directed therapy, and equity in care — especially for BP, lipids, diabetes, obesity, and younger adults at rising risk.
If this is the picture in the United States, where do we stand in Jordan?
