Cardiovascular Realities 2020: Time to Act Now

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in Europe, and World Health Organization (WHO) heart disease goals will not be achieved by 2025 unless urgent action is taken, according to the finding of a European Society of Cardiology (ESC) report.

"Cardiovascular Realities 2020" is a compendium of the latest statistics on cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Europe. The document provides numbers of people with heart conditions, death rates, and levels of risk factors including obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Comparisons of data over time show alarming trends which suggest it is unlikely that WHO noncommunicable disease (NCD) targets for global cardiovascular health will be met.

Dr. Hans Henri Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe said: "We cannot be complacent. Healthcare disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of maintaining services to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease. Access to essential CVD medicines and technologies varies widely across Europe and more work is needed to achieve universal health coverage. I look forward to collaborating with European cardiologists and policymakers to tackle these issues."