Cardiology
Biomedical innovation in cardiovascular care is important given the significant burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in America. Over 18 million people have CVD; CVDs cause roughly a quarter of deaths nationally and unmet need remains in CVD care (especially risk reduction). Furthermore, there are significant sociodemographic inequities, with older adults, those with lower education, racial or ethnic minority groups, and rural residents disproportionately affected. For example, individuals living in rural settings have higher age-adjusted CVD death rates relative to urban counterparts.
The pipeline of new cardiovascular drugs in the United States is relatively limited compared with many other specialties, partially due to the complexity and cost of evidence generation. There has been substantial growth in the pipeline for cardiovascular medical devices, however, with products for minimally invasive surgery, heart health tracking, interventional products for restoring heart rhythm and reviewing blockages, and wearables.