Euractiv Est. 1min 19-12-2016 (updated: 16-01-2017 ) Cardiovascular diseases make up 40% of deaths in the EU, according to a WHO study [torange] Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Print Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Although death rates have fallen substantially, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the single biggest killer in the UK and Europe, as well as a sizeable economic burden. EURACTIV looks at the many facets of CVD. Cardiovascular disease accounts for 52% of female deaths and 42% of male deaths in the EU. Approximately four million people in Europe and 1.9 million people in the EU die of cardiovascular disease each year, according to the European Society of Cardiology. To reduce the number of deaths from heart diseases, EU countries agreed in November 2013 to tackle the underlying health determinants behind cardiovascular disease in the common health programme for 2014-2020 through “promoting health, preventing diseases and fostering supportive environments for healthy lifestyles”. The EU wants cost-effective promotion and prevention measures for addressing tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy dietary habits and physical activity. Download PDF Counting the cost of cardiovascular disease News | Health 19-12-2016 Est. 4minDeath from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) may have fallen substantially in the UK and across the world, but it remains the single biggest killer, and a sizeable economic burden. Prevention is the name of the CVD game News | Health 20-12-2016 Est. 5minEarly prevention is the name of the game these days for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) when it comes to tackling cardiovascular disease (CVD). UK and US at odds with Europe over statin use News | Health 22-12-2016 Est. 4minStatins are already the United Kingdom’s most commonly prescribed medicines – roughly 6 million Brits take the drugs on a regular basis to lower the risk of a cardiovascular incident, in line with US practice. But in continental Europe, views tend to differ. A soft target: EU countries go after sugar in CVD fight News | Health 23-12-2016 Est. 5minIf the UK is a leader among European countries in statin treatment and cardiac rehabilitation, it lags behind in addressing the behavioural causes of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as child obesity. Personalised medicine – the future of CVD treatment? News | Health 23-12-2016 Est. 4minDoctors are already able to calculate patients’ risk of getting cardiovascular disease based on their electronic medical records, including age, gender and smoking habits. Adding genetic assessments to the mix will make their job easier.