Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels that remain the leading cause of global mortality and morbidity. These conditions encompass a wide range of problems, including coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, and other conditions affecting the heart's structure and function. Risk factors for CVDs are multifaceted, involving a combination of lifestyle choices, genetic predisposition, and environmental factors. Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and harmful use of alcohol are among the primary lifestyle risks, while hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia serve as key physiological risk factors.

The interactive figure below shows the worldwide death rate (per 100,000 people) caused by cardiovascular diseases. The data was obtained from WHO’s Global Health Estimates.

Despite progress in treatment and prevention, cardiovascular diseases still pose a significant challenge to health systems worldwide. This highlights the importance of combined efforts in research, policy-making, and public health measures to reduce their effects.