Overview
- A University of New Mexico analysis of U.S. death certificates from 1999 to 2023 found rates rose from 1.1 to 4.8 deaths per 100,000 among women aged 25–44.
- More than 29,000 women in this age group died from hypertensive heart disease during the study period.
- Non-Hispanic Black women had the highest mortality at 8.6 per 100,000, compared with 2.3 per 100,000 in non-Hispanic White women.
- Regional differences were pronounced, with the South recording 3.8 deaths per 100,000 and no urban–rural gap detected.
- Study authors called for targeted prevention, routine screening in primary and women's health settings, and earlier treatment aligned with ACC/AHA guidance to keep blood pressure below 130/80 mm Hg.