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. 2024 Sep 27:47:101079.
doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.101079. eCollection 2024 Dec.

Trends in avoidable mortality from cardiovascular diseases in the European Union, 1995-2020: a retrospective secondary data analysis

Avi Cherla  1 , Ilias Kyriopoulos  1 , Pauline Pearcy  1 , Zoi Tsangalidou  2 , Haris Hajrulahovic  3 , Pavlos Theodorakis  3 , Charlotte E Andersson  4 , Mandeep R Mehra  4 , Elias Mossialos  1
Affiliations

Trends in avoidable mortality from cardiovascular diseases in the European Union, 1995-2020: a retrospective secondary data analysis

Avi Cherla et al. Lancet Reg Health Eur. .

Abstract

Background: Certain causes of death can be avoided with access to timely prevention and treatment. We quantified trends in avoidable deaths from cardiovascular diseases for European Union (EU) countries from 1995 to 2020 and examined variations by demographics, disease characteristics, and geography.

Methods: Retrospective secondary data analysis of avoidable cardiovascular mortality using the WHO Mortality Database. Avoidable causes of death were identified from the OECD and Eurostat list (which uses an age threshold of 75 years). Regression models were used to identify changes in the trends of age-standardized mortality rates and potential years of life lost.

Findings: From 1995 to 2020, 11.4 million deaths from cardiovascular diseases in Europe were avoidable, resulting in 213.1 million potential life years lost. Avoidable deaths were highest among males (7.5 million), adults 65-74 years (6.8 million), and with the leading cause of death being ischemic heart disease (6.1 million). From its peak in 1995 until 2020, avoidable mortality from cardiovascular diseases has decreased by 57% across the EU. The difference in avoidable cardiovascular diseases mortality between females and males, and between Eastern and Western Europe has reduced greatly, however gaps continue to persist.

Interpretation: Avoidable mortality from cardiovascular diseases has decreased substantially among EU countries, although improvement has not been uniform across diseases, demographic groups or regions. These trends suggest additional policy interventions are needed to ensure that improvements in mortality are continued.

Funding: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe.

Keywords: Avoidable mortality; Cardiovascular disease; Europe.

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Conflict of interest statement

ZT reports a previous summer internship with Novo Nordisk. MM reports consulting fees from Abbott, Cadrenal, Paragonix, Second Heart Assist, Medtronic, Janssen, Natera, and Moderna, and participation on the advisory boards of Mesoblast, Fineheart, Leviticus, and NupulseCV.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Changes in avoidable cardiovascular mortality rate from earliest to latest year, by demographic features and disease. x-axis scales vary across graphs.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Trends in avoidable cardiovascular mortality (a) and by disease (b). Results from the joinpoint regression are detailed in the Supplement.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Change in avoidable cardiovascular mortality per country (a) overall (b) by sex and (c) from the top 3 causes of death. x-axis scales vary across graphs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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