Medicus, Vol. 12 No. 1_ Kardiologija, 2003.
Review article
The Public Health Importance of the Most Frequent Cardiovascular Diseases
Vlasta Hrabak-Žerjavić
Verica Kralj
Maja Silobrčić-Radić
Abstract
According to WHO, cardiovascular diseases
are the world’s leading cause of death, being responsible for
the death of 16.6 million people annually, with Europe accounting
for 5 million of these. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
are the leading cause of death in Croatia as well. In 2001, we
recorded 26,542 deaths due to cardiovascular diseases,
53.6% of the overall mortality. In other words, one of the circulatory
diseases was responsible for every second death in
Croatia. Most common diagnostic subgroup was ischemic
heart disease (CHD) with a share of 33.4% and cerebrovascular
disease with 31.4%. Accounting for a share of 13.7%
and the hospitalization rate of 1692.1/100,000 in 2001, cardiovascular
diseases are the leading cause of hospitalization
in Croatia as well. Ischemic heart disease (27.0%), other
forms of heart disease (24.2%), and cerebrovascular disease
(23.3%) were the leading diagnostic subgroups. As the most
common cause of death and inpatient care, and causing a
significant number of years of life lost, cardiovascular diseases
are a public health priority for Croatia. They require
special attention and intensification of the work on programs
of disease prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, as well
as of patient rehabilitation.
Keywords
morbidity; mortality; cardiovascular diseases
Hrčak ID:
20506
URI
Publication date:
27.1.2003.
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