I saw an ad somewhere that claimed 30% of seniors die each year from heart attack. This sounds way, way too much. Is it really true?
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1Not quite, but 1 in 4 deaths every year (in the USA) are due to heart disease.– user2432Commented Jan 23, 2016 at 18:58
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Sounds like you misunderstood the advert. Can you link to the original ad?– Oddthinking ♦Commented Jan 23, 2016 at 21:34
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@Oddthinking it was an ad on youtube, and it explicitly said "30% of seniors die of a heart attack each year. Prepare yourself yada yada yada." EDIT: Not the yada yada part :)– AAM111Commented Jan 23, 2016 at 21:36
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3Is the question "get a heart attack" or "die of a heart attack"?– GEdgarCommented Jan 24, 2016 at 2:06
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Was it referring to the USA? What was there product?– Oddthinking ♦Commented Jan 24, 2016 at 8:50
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2 Answers
This doesn't even pass the smell test.
See any spot on that graph where 30% of people die in a year? Even at 85 which is the top of the graph you see less than half that rate.
Not quite
In 2000-2001, 2010-2011, and 2012-2013, roughly 30% of deaths over 65 in the USA were due to heart disease (30.9, 30.5, and 29.8).
Source: CDC
Perhaps the advertisement simply misstated the claim. Not 30% of those alive, just 30% of the deaths. Also, this is all heart disease, not just heart attacks.
As the other answer notes, overall death rates are far below 30%, so this claim certainly isn't accurately describing that.
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I was simply showing the original claim was impossible. I think you nailed it as to what really is going on. Commented Jan 24, 2016 at 17:32