Connecting data and knowledge with experience and action.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one killer, claiming 18.6 million lives globally every year. Help us save lives.
Discover how the burden of CVD has changed over the years, its global and regional impact and what’s causing the numbers to grow. And explore our Resources to learn how you can take action.
In only 30 years, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) nearly doubled, from 271 million in 1990 to 523 million in 2019.
CVD affects men and women differently. Men, especially those aged between 30 and 60, are more likely to be affected, but women in Central Asia, Oceania, North Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe still experience high rates of death and disability due to CVD.
1 IN 3
CVD deaths occur prematurely in people under 70 years of age
85%
of CVD deaths are due to heart attack and stroke
>75%
of CVD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries
GLOBAL IMPACT
How significant have these shifts been since 1990? Where are we making progress in preventing and managing cardiovascular disease and where should efforts be doubled?
