OBJECTIVES : Smoking is a leading cause of death among CVD patients in the US. This study estimated the trend in the prevalence of CVDs in the US population from 2005 to 2016, evaluated its risk factors, including socio-economic condition, comorbidities, lifestyle habits, and also assessed the utilization of drugs.

METHODS : The study was conducted using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2005 to 2016. The prevalence of CVD among smokers was ascertained from the prevalence of four constituent conditions - congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, and heart attack. The predictors of CVD among smokers were investigated using multivariate survey logistic regression models.

RESULTS : 7,063 participants with mean age of 42.8 years who were current smokers and responded to the CVD questionnaire were considered in this analysis. The prevalence of CVD increased from 6.0% to 9.6% through the period from 2005 to 2016. Most significant increase in prevalence was seen in patients with respiratory diseases (from 10.8% to 19.2%), in obese patients (from 9.8% to 12.5%), and in binge drinkers (from 3.1% to 6.3%). The prevalence of CVD has also increased in the population with higher income (from 3.4% to 6.7%), and other than non-Hispanic whites (from 6.2% to 10.9%).

The likelihood of CVD was higher among the elderly (≥60years) (OR=5.07, CI=3.81-6.76), males (OR=1.35, CI=1.04-1.76), and respondents with <400%-FPL (OR=1.84, CI=1.18-2.88). The likelihood of CVD was also higher among patients ailing with respiratory diseases (OR=3.39, CI=2.70-4.27), with diabetes (OR=2.84, CI=2.11-3.81), and with obesity (OR=1.54, CI=1.23-1.94). The proportion of patients suffering with one CVD disorder only who used a CV drug rose from 73% to 83% over the study period.

CONCLUSIONS : The increase in prevalence of CVD among, both at an overall level and in certain subpopulations will be of concern to policy makers and clinical practitioners alike.