Researchers at SUNY Downstate Identify Rising Incidence of Valvular Heart Diseases in New York State:
Dec 1, 2010
The incidence of hospitalization and treatment for heart valve diseases in New York
State has constantly and progressively risen since the early 1980s, according to research
presented at the recent meeting of the American Heart Association (AHA) by SUNY Downstate
Health Sciences University. The study results were published in a supplement to the
AHA journal, Circulation .
The researchers said they expect these growth curves to continue as the population
ages. Using data from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System
(SPARCS), they identified 1,882,504 hospitalized patients who had diseases of at least
one heart valve (mitral, aortic, tricuspid, or pulmonic) between 1983 and 2007.
During this period, hospitalizations in New York for all causes decreased from 3,032,235
cases (1983) to 2,628,545 cases (2007). In contrast, hospitalizations among patients
with valvular diseases increased markedly at an average rate of 9.1 percent per year
in the same period. The trend was similar for valve replacement or repair, which collectively
grew 7.8 percent per year.
As a result of the increase in cases over the study period, inpatient deaths increased
6.7 percent per year. These deaths were associated with advancing age, non-elective
admission, male gender, and presence of associated heart failure.
Phyllis Supino, EdD, professor of medicine and director of clinical epidemiology and
clinical research in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at SUNY Downstate and
lead author of the study, said, “Our findings suggest that nationwide intensive planning
is needed to deal with the public health implications of these increases to meet the
growing needs of these patients.”
For more information, contact Dr. Supino at (718) 613-8355 or via phyllis.supino@downstate.edu . Jeffrey S. Borer, MD, chair of medicine and chief of cardiovascular medicine at
SUNY Downstate, is co-author. Dr. Borer is also director of The Howard Gilman Institute
for Heart Valve Diseases, located at SUNY Downstate. Amanda Goon, BA, a research assistant,
is also a co-author.
### About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers
(AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY
AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for
the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at
Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s
exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With
a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate
offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community. UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis
for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond
its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions,
including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions,
School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation
through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and
BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.