Growing epidemic of coronary heart disease in low- and middle-income countries

Abstract

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the single largest cause of death in the developed countries and is one of the leading causes of disease burden in developing countries. In 2001, there were 7.3 million deaths due to CHD worldwide. Three-fourths of global deaths due to CHD occurred in the low- and middle-income countries. The rapid rise in CHD burden in most of the low- and middle-income countries is due to socio-economic changes, increase in lifespan, and acquisition of lifestyle-related risk factors. The CHD death rate, however, varies dramatically across the developing countries. The varying incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates reflect the different levels of risk factors, other competing causes of death, availability of resources to combat cardiovascular disease, and the stage of epidemiologic transition that each country or region finds itself. The economic burden of CHD is equally large but solutions exist to manage this growing burden.

Figure 1

Population of each developing region (millions), 2005. (World Bank Development Indicators 2007 [12])

Figure 2

Percentage of total mortality attributable to CHD in 2001 by developing region. (WHO Global Burden of Disease and Risk Factors 2006 [6])

Figure 3

Gross National Income ($US) per capita 2005 (World Bank Development Indicators 2007 [12])

Figure 4

Health Care Expenditure ($US) per capita, 2004 (World Bank Development Indicators 2007 [12])

Figure 5

CHD Mortality in Select ECA, 2002. (WHO Global Infobase [122])