Myocardial infarction remains the leading cause of death in the United States.
The first real advance in the treatment of heart diseases was due to the establishment of Coronary Care Units and the introduction of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the late 1960s. A decrease in mortality rates from cardiovascular disease has been facilitated by a tremendous improvement in the treatment of acute MI and congestive heart failure between 1970 and 1990, as well as advances in the treatment of hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias. Another contribution to the promising outlook has been the public health education which has resulted in better control of cardiac risk factors such as smoking, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, high lipid levels and obesity. More recently however, this downward trend is flattening to a plateau. This flattening in the rate of decline does not necessarily mean that the progress in reducing cardiac deaths is in jeopardy.