This study aims to examine Parkinson's disease (PD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) related mortality and their long-term trends among older adults in the United States (US) from 1999 to 2022.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease typically affecting adults older than 60 years of age. This aging population is also at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Therefore, studying the relationship between PD and CVD mortality is crucial to reducing mortality caused by the former.

We analyzed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) for death certificates (1999-2022) of adults 65 years and older, with PD (ICD-10 code: G20) and CVD (ICD-10 code: I00-I99). Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) per 100,000 and annual percent change (APC) were calculated through Jointpoint regression.

Between 1999 and 2022, a total of 440,993 deaths attributed to Parkinson’s disease and CVD were reported in the US. Overall, the AAMR initially decreased from 1999 to 2014 [APC= -2.05* (-2.65 to -1.5)], followed by a gradual rise until 2022 [APC=4.9* (3.7 to 6.4)]. Men had more than double the AAMR (66.4) than women (29.1). The AAMR peaked during the COVID period (2020-2021 AAMR: Overall=52.8; Men=79.9; Women=33.7). Among racial groups, the overall AAMR was highest in non-Hispanic (NH) Whites (46.2), followed by Hispanics/Latinos (35.2), NH Asians/Pacific Islanders (31.6), NH American Indians (30.2), and lowest in NH African Americans (26.6). AAMR also varied by region (West 52.7, Midwest 47.8, South 45.3, and Northeast 42.5). States above the 90^th percentile were Nebraska, California, Vermont, Oklahoma, and Ohio.

PD and CVD-related mortality has spiked in the US during the last decade, especially during the COVID-19 period. Targeted strategies, aimed at prevention and management of prevalent CV risk factors, are important in mitigating the mortality burden among patients with PD.