Addressing the Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases; Need for Scalable and Sustainable Frameworks

Only 14 countries are on track to attain the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of reducing premature mortality from Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) by one-third by 2030. This target cannot be reached without reducing the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) which is the major contributor to premature mortality from NCDs. Sustainable and scalable national responses to address both CVDs and their risk factors are urgently needed. Although smoking rates have decreased globally, consumption of alcohol and physical inactivity are on the rise. No country is on course to achieve the target to halt the rise in obesity or to reduce salt intake: targets critical for reducing the diabetes related cardiovascular burden and for hypertension control. Although very cost-effective scalable interventions are available, they are underutilized. Unless pathways selected to tackle CVDs prioritize prevention, primary health care and universal health coverage, countries will fall further behind in the attainment of the SDG target.

Automated summary

Only 14 countries are on track to achieve the SDG target of reducing premature mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030. The burden of cardiovascular diseases needs to be reduced in order to reach this target, but global issues of alcohol consumption and physical inactivity are worsening.