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Large disparities exist between European countries in CVD deaths
Mortality related to CHD and stroke has decreased overall throughout Europe in the past 5 to 10 years, but large disparities continue to exist between countries, both in mortality rates and the rates at which reductions have occurred, according to a recent report.
In the 2015 epidemiological update published in the European Heart Journal, researchers used data collected from various sources to characterize the burden of CVD across Europe.
According to the report, CVD is the most common cause of death in Europe, responsible for 49% of deaths among women and 41% in men, and a total of more than 4 million deaths annually. Age-standardized death rates from CVD declined during the past 10 years, and small reductions in the absolute numbers and percentages of CVD deaths also have been observed.
However, the researchers cited evidence of wide discrepancies across European countries with regard to the burden of CVD deaths. Besides large disparities between countries in age-standardized death rates, the researchers reported that a small number of countries continue to demonstrate increases in CVD deaths. Using the new 2013 European Standard Population, eight countries (Denmark, France, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) have age-standardized death rates of fewer than 250 deaths per 100,000 women, while six countries (Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) have age-standardized death rates of more than 1,000 per 100,000 women.
Among men, the researchers reported that France, Israel and Spain have age-standardized CVD-related death rates of less than 300 per 100,000 men, whereas Ukraine and Turkmenistan have age-standardized CVD-related death rates of more than 1,500 per 100,000 men. Disparities between countries also were observed for premature deaths among both men and women.
The researchers also reported wide variation in treatment rates, in particularly for surgical intervention, between countries with available data.
“Some may point to decreases in CVD mortality as an indication of success for both national and Europe-wide efforts to tackle CVD,” the researchers wrote. “However, the inequality of the current burden between European countries, the high mortality burden from CVD in comparison with other noncommunicable diseases, along with increases in risk factors for CVD, such as obesity, should sound a note of warning to health professionals throughout Europe.” – by Jennifer Byrne
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.