What's the Survival Rate of Heart Attacks by Age?

The survival rate of a heart attack varies by age, with mainly younger adults experiencing a higher survival rate and better prognosis. A heart attack—or myocardial infarction—results from decreased or closed-off blood flow to the heart muscle. The chances of surviving one have increased from 50% (1 in 2) to at least 87.5% (7 in 8) as of June 2024.

Seeking immediate medical care for heart attack symptoms can play a role in surviving myocardial infarction. You'll also want to be aware of any heart attack risk factors you have and make changes to prevent heart attacks when possible. Here's what else you need to know.

Age and Heart Attack Survival Rates

Survival rates of heart attacks by age have varied across studies. One study followed 22,187 adult patients in Iran who had had a heart attack. The findings indicated that survival rates were:

• Highest in the 25-30-year age group
• Lowest in the 55-60-year age group overall at 28-day, six-month, and one-year follow-ups combined
• Lowest in the 90-95-year age group at one-year follow-ups
  

Some researchers analyzed data from 283 patients who had ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a type of heart attack that involves a mostly- or entirely-blocked coronary artery. They defined and named the age categories for the patients and found that the survival rates were:

• Highest for patients in the "Not Old" (74 years old and younger) group
  
• Lowest for patients in the "Very Old" (85 years old and older) group
• Fell between the other two groups' rates for the "Old" (75 to 84 years old) group
  

Even with the variations, the overall findings follow the same pattern. The prognosis of heart attacks is generally better at a younger age but can worsen with older age depending on the factors considered.

For example, one study examined the connection between gender and age differences and mortality rates related to myocardial infarction. The researchers found that young men (defined as under 55 years old) had a higher survival rate compared to young women (defined as under 65 years old).

Risk Factors

In general, the probability of having a heart attack depends on risk factors that you can or cannot change. It's important to note that all risk factors are crucial. Major risk factors still carry the most concern as they cannot be changed and indicate an increased risk for heart disease and attacks.

Those in older populations—65 years of age or older—have a higher heart attack risk. Heart attacks are more likely to occur in men than in women, and men may also have heart attacks at an earlier age.

Heredity can play a role in the likelihood of heart attacks as well. Both family history and racial descent can increase your chances of having a heart attack.

There are medical conditions that can put you at risk for a heart attack—including premature myocardial infarction—as well. These conditions include diseases and disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity.

Heart attack risk is additionally higher for individuals who:

• Are physically inactive
• Experience increased stress
• Have an unhealthy diet
• Smoke or drink

How To Survive a Heart Attack

One major way to increase your chances of surviving a heart attack is to get medical attention right away. Contact emergency medical staff as soon as possible if you experience any of these symptoms, particularly all of a sudden:

• Chest pain or discomfort
• Discomfort or pain in your arm, back, jaw, neck, or shoulder
• Nausea, lightheadedness, or fatigue—especially if you were assigned female at birth
• Shortness of breath

Once you've received the immediate treatments for your heart attack, a healthcare provider will recommend a treatment plan as part of aftercare. You'll want to ensure you follow this plan, which can involve taking medications and making lifestyle changes.

For example, being more physically active and modifying your diet can reverse or control any other conditions, like diabetes or obesity, that place you at a higher risk for heart attacks. You may also be able to lower your risk for more myocardial infarctions with those same lifestyle changes.

Can You Live a Long Time After a Heart Attack?

Even if you have a heart attack, things can still look promising. Researchers of one study followed 239,402 individuals who had been admitted due to heart attacks for up to seven years after their heart attacks.

They found that the survival rate was 62.5% overall after the time period. They also discovered that, for individuals who had heart attacks and were under 65 years old, the survival rate was over 85%.

A Quick Review

The likelihood of surviving a heart attack can depend on your age, particularly because age plays a role in heart attack prognosis. Other risk factors in and out of a person's control may increase the chances that a person might have a heart attack but might also affect their survival rate.

Regardless of your age, ensure you're aware of any heart attack risk factors you have and seek emergency care if you have symptoms. These considerations—along with following your treatment plan if you do have a heart attack—can be beneficial.