In March 2011, the NCD Alliance published a
Proposed Outcomes Document (POD), which is a proposal of recommendations that could be adopted by the United Nations (UN) Assembly on the occasion of the UN Summit on NCDs.
For the first time, 'hard figures' on the worldwide impact of chronic disease
NCDs, which include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, respiratory diseases, kidney and liver diseases , affect more than a thirs of the European population and are responsible for 86% of deaths in the WHO European region.
The global burden of NCDs is presented in a WHO report, in time to feed the discussions that will take place at the UN High Level Summit on NCDs next September.
Commenting on the report for the ESC, Professor Pantaleo Giannuzzi, President of the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation, said:
"This is a very important document. For the first time we now have the hard figures representing the present and future impact of non-communicable diseases worldwide, not only in the acute phase but in the chronic phase too.(...)" Read the Press release here.
Every ESC member is invited to support the NCD Alliance campaign through simple actions, eg promoting the Proposed Outcomes Document to all stakeholders involved in fighting cardiovascular diseases in their countries, in Europe and elsewhere.
The NCD Alliance website offers free material here such as template letters to be translated and used for campaigning purposes by those who would like to get involved.
Every little helps!
Global Burden of NCDs: focus on Cardiovascular Diseases
The problem
Globally, cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death and they are projected to remain so. An estimated 17 million people died from cardiovascular disease in 2005, representing 30% of all global deaths.
Of these deaths, 7.2 million were due to heart attacks and 5.7 million due to stroke. About 80% of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. If current trends are allowed to continue, by 2030 an estimated 23.6 million people will die from cardiovascular disease (mainly from heart attacks and strokes).
Cardiovascular diseases include:
- coronary heart disease (heart attacks)
- cerebrovascular disease
- raised blood pressure (hypertension)
- peripheral artery disease
- rheumatic heart disease
- congenital heart disease
- heart failure
The Solution
At least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided through healthy diet, regular physical activity and avoiding tobacco smoke.
Examples of population-wide interventions that can be implemented include:
Comprehensive tobacco control policies
Taxation to reduce the intake of foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt
Building walking and cycle ways to increase physical activity
Providing healthy school meals to children