80% of the global burden of cardiovascular disease is located in countries with low or middle incomes. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the contrast in risk factors for cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality in low, medium and high income countries.
This study included 155245 patients from 628 cities in 17 countries over 5 continents. Individual risk was calculated using the INTERHEART risk score that takes into account the age, sex, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, family history of cardiovascular disease, heart rate, psychosocial assessment, diet and physical activity. The treatment used and preventive measures were also recorded.
The study showed that cardiovascular risk factors were higher in high-income countries and lower in low-income countries. Major cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, stroke, heart failure) occurs with an incidence of 4.3/1000 persons / year in high-income countries compared with 5.1 and 6.4 in countries of low and middle income, respectively. A fatal major cardiovascular disease has an incidence of 0.6/1000 persons / year in high-income countries compared with 1.7 and 3.8 in medium and low income respectively.
Conclusion:
Observing a greater overall risk in high-income countries but also lower mortality from major cardiovascular diseases, highlights the importance of health systems (access, equity and efficiency) and not only the risk control factors.
Salim Yusuf
2013-09-02
Original title: PURE: Contrasting associations between risk-factor burden, CVD incidence, and mortality in high-, middle-, and low-income countries
