Cardiovascular Disease in Ukraine
Global Overview
(World Heart Federation, 2008)
According to the American Heart Association, “cardiovascular disease refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system, principally cardiac disease, vascular diseases of the brain and kidney’s and peripheral arterial disease. The causes of cardiovascular disease are diverse but atherosclerosis and/or hypertension are the most common. In addition, with aging comes a number of physiological and morphological changes that alter cardiovascular function and lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, even in healthy asymptomatic individuals”.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide since the 1970s, but recently cardiovascular deaths have declined in many high income countries, while cardiovascular deaths and disease have increased at a fast rate in low- to middle-income countries.
World Heart Day is September 29th – This was created to inform people around the world about cardiovascular disease. They also provide information on how to lower your risk factors.
Staggering Facts
The World Health Organization claims:
• An estimated 17.3 million people died from CVDs in 2008.
• Over 80% of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries.
• By 2030 more than 23 million people will die annually from CVDs.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has typically been viewed as something that happens to the wealthy and industrialized societies. According to the World Journal of Cardiology; during the past century, there has been little effort put into cardiovascular (CV) prevention. Some claim this is due to the high number of infectious diseases cases, and have taken precedent over this epidemic. This is why no resources have been invested towards chronic diseases, however there is an emerging body of data suggesting that this current policy may be dangerous and only get worse if not researched. The World Health Organization, claims that approximately 80% of the 17 million CV deaths worldwide in 2003, occurred in developing countries. (NCBI, 2009)
The chart below shows that CVD is the number one cause of death in all regions except for sub-Saharan Africa; however when the analysis extends beyond adults aged 30 years and older, CVD is number one cause of death in all regions.( NCBI, 2009).
(NCBI, 2009)
“A decades worth of studies have identified risk factors for CVD, the more prevalent ones being (Miller, 2009).
Risk Factors:
- Hypertension
- Smoking
- Obesity (due to poor diet and/or lack of physical activity)
- Hyperlipidemia
- Genetic predisposition
(Miller,2009)
There has been an increase in CV risk factors in developing countries, and the first half of this decade saw a peak and then a decline in CV related mortality related in part to risk factor modification. Even so, there is still many issues in developing countries. This is because the government has been using policies that have worked in developed countries. The problem with this is that you need to design a policy around the geographic location and the patient’s needs. There is no "one policy fits all" circumstances. The best approach would be to identifying proven strategies that have worked in developed countries and then modifying them as necessary for the individual country with the current issue.
The link below goes more in depth about Cardiovascular Diseases/facts and how to reduce your risks.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs317/en/
This link shows you how the heart actually works and what a healthy heart looks like:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hhw/
Ukraine Overview
(Russia Ukraine Travel 2005) (Russia Ukraine Travel 2005)
“In Ukraine, about 2.4 million new cases of cardiovascular disorders are registered in the nation’s hospitals annually. In recent years, the incidence of heart disease has increased one and a half times, killing 450,000 Ukrainians annually”.(Rudnieva, 2003)
The experts from the Amosov Research Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery claim that well over 35,000 patients need heart surgery. These include patients with congenital and acquired heart disease, ischemic disease, and arrhythmia. Every year, 6,000 Ukrainian children are diagnosed with congenital heart disease, while roughly 40,000 children under the age of fourteen suffering from heart disorders are registered.
According to The Amosov Research Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery and regional centers perform up to 6,000 heart surgeries annually with a mortality rate of 3.6%, which does meet European standards, but the fact still remains that only 6,000 patients receive the surgery while there are 35,000 who need it, the remaining 29,000 might not live to receive the required treatment.
“Ukraine has higher disability and death rates from cardiovascular disease among younger patients. The scale of the disease is quite extensive: it kills 130 working age Ukrainians each day. This causes significant losses of human and economic potential and shortens life expectancy. Also worrying are forecasts that do not predict any improvements in the situation, unless we take scientifically founded steps backed with adequate funding and government support”. (Rudnieva, 2003)
(Russia Ukraine Travel 2005) (Russia Ukraine Travel 2005)
“In Ukraine, about 2.4 million new cases of cardiovascular disorders are registered in the nation’s hospitals annually. In recent years, the incidence of heart disease has increased one and a half times, killing 450,000 Ukrainians annually”.(Rudnieva, 2003)
The experts from the Amosov Research Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery claim that well over 35,000 patients need heart surgery. These include patients with congenital and acquired heart disease, ischemic disease, and arrhythmia. Every year, 6,000 Ukrainian children are diagnosed with congenital heart disease, while roughly 40,000 children under the age of fourteen suffering from heart disorders are registered.
According to The Amosov Research Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery and regional centers perform up to 6,000 heart surgeries annually with a mortality rate of 3.6%, which does meet European standards, but the fact still remains that only 6,000 patients receive the surgery while there are 35,000 who need it, the remaining 29,000 might not live to receive the required treatment.
“Ukraine has higher disability and death rates from cardiovascular disease among younger patients. The scale of the disease is quite extensive: it kills 130 working age Ukrainians each day. This causes significant losses of human and economic potential and shortens life expectancy. Also worrying are forecasts that do not predict any improvements in the situation, unless we take scientifically founded steps backed with adequate funding and government support”. (Rudnieva, 2003)
For more information on heart disease check out what Scitable has to say at:
http://www.nature.com/scitable/spotlight/heart-disease-15754421