Global burden of cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death across the globe, according to a new “almanac”-style special issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).

The issue looks at 18 specific cardiovascular conditions and 15 risk factors across 21 global regions to provide a broad view of the global burden of cardiovascular disease. While CVD rates are high globally, Central Asia and Eastern Europe were estimated to have the highest rates of CVD mortality. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, dietary risks and air pollution were the leading causes of CVD worldwide.

Serving as an update to “The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019,” the 2022 publication includes data from 204 countries and territories, highlighting the leading global modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, their contribution to disease burden and recent prevention advancements.

“We need to keep shining a light on the current state of cardiovascular health across the globe. Cardiovascular health has a major impact on our quality of life and the health care system as a whole,” said Gregory A. Roth, MD, MPH, senior author of the paper and associate professor in the Division of Cardiology and director of the Program in Cardiovascular Health Metrics at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

“Over 80% of cardiovascular disease is preventable. With this update, we are measuring some alarming global trends and reviewing the current interventions that can help countries make good, evidence-based choices for their health systems.”