Experts working on the study gathered the information regarding the decline from 1999 to 2005 from data previously collected by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The numbers revealed that deaths caused by heart disease have dropped by 25.8 percent, and deaths from stroke are down by 24.4 percent.
The numbers also reflect the early achievement of a 25 percent decrease in heart-related deaths by 2010.
The decrease in the number of deaths was seen as the result of innovations in treatments, all of which generally function to maintain blood flow to the heart and the brain. New medicines available to the public were also cited as a contributing factor to the decline.
Lifestyle choices were also mentioned as a key element of observation for patients, reported Xinhua. Obesity, lack of exercise, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol were named as factors putting people at risk.
"There are some signs that if we don't reinvigorate our efforts at prevention...we may not see this progress continue," Dr. Jones was quoted.
