The burden of cardiovascular diseases mortality in Europe: Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology on Cardiovascular Mortality and Morbidity Statistics in Europe

Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death in adults and the elderly in the majority of the developed countries and in many developing countries. Cardiovascular diseases result in substantial disability and loss of productivity and contribute in large part, to the escalating costs of health care, especially in the presence of an ageing population. Papers published by the World Health Organization of the United Nations (WHO) and others have previously reported trends in cardiovascular mortality over time. These reports showed large international between-country differences both in the levels and in the trends in mortality from cardiovascular diseases, especially from ischaemic heart disease. More recent analysis of mortality data points to a substantial increase in cardiovascular diseases in countries of Central and Eastern Europe concomitant with recent nutritional, economical and political changes. Although most European countries perform analysis of mortality at the sub-national (regional) level, international analysis using sub-national data have been made only for selected diseases, for example cancer mortality by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon. The advantage of this type of analysis is that spatial variability in mortality patterns can be shown across borders. This may help in identifying factors responsible for this variation. The importance of population control of cardiovascular diseases was highlighted by the European Union in article 129 of the Treaty on European Union, which contains specific provisions on public health and focuses on the ‘prevention of disease, in particular the major health scourges’. The Council Resolution recognized the need for monitoring and surveillance of cardiovascular diseases within the general framework of health monitoring. Accordingly, the Board of the European Society of Cardiology upon recommendation from the Committee for Scientific and Clinical Initiatives, set up a Task Force to study the latest available data on cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in order to assess the burden of these diseases in Europe. This report reviews total cardiovascular, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular and all causes mortality in European countries for the years 1990–1992. Regional mortality rates are presented for the years 1990–1991. Finally, the country mortality trends for the period 1970 to 1992 are analysed.