Recent reports have shown that coronary heart disease (CHD) continues to be a leading cause of death among Americans despite a remarkable decline in cardiovascular deaths related to the disease over the past several decades. CHD mortality rates fell by as much as 52% in men and 49% in women between 1980 and 2002, according to some research. However, other data suggests that these beneficial trends may not have been experienced by all demographic groups. A 2007 study showed that there was a dramatic slowing in the average annual rate of decline of CHD mortality among adults aged 35 to 54. Younger women appeared to be a particularly vulnerable patient group in this analysis.