Cardiovascular disease is estimated to cost the EU 2% of GDP
Ahead of tomorrow’s ‘Safe Hearts Plan’ on cardiovascular disease, the Commission released a report which shows the heavy toll on Europe’s health and its pockets
The ‘State of Cardiovascular Health in the EU’ report shows that one in three deaths is caused by cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This makes CVDs the EU’s largest cause of death (1.7 million deaths in 2022) and affects an estimated 62 million people.
Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is the largest contributor responsible for almost one‑third of all CVD deaths from circulatory disease. Cerebrovascular disease (stroke) is the second largest contributor, accounting for just over one‑fifth of all circulatory disease deaths.
Tomorrow afternoon (16 December), the Commission will unveil its ‘Safe Hearts Plan’, which, like Europe’s Beating Cancer Action Plan, aims to take a comprehensive approach to tackling the disease, from prevention to improved treatment.
“The State of the Cardiovascular Health in the EU report comes at a crucial moment,” said Health Commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi. “[It] underpins the urgent need for the Safe Hearts Plan to reverse trends that point towards a doubling of cardiovascular diseases by 2050.”
In the joint preface DG SANTE Director General, Sandra Gallina and OECD, Director for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, Stefano Scarpetta say that the burden of cardiovascular diseases extends far beyond mortality statistics, with annual costs estimated at €282 billion - equivalent to around 2% of GDP - underscoring that CVDs are “not only a health crisis, but a major strain on Europe’s economies and societies.”
The report shows that the combined burden of healthcare expenditures and informal care costs is significantly greater for CVDs than for cancer, sometimes even doubling them. On a per capita basis, CVD-related costs averaged €630 per EU citizen.
They note that the diseases “take a heavy toll on daily life,” while also exacerbating inequalities between regions and population groups. Central and Eastern European countries, for example, have higher mortality rates compared to Western and Southern European countries.
There is also a gender difference. Mortality rates are higher in men than in women across EU countries, reducing life expectancy for men more drastically; however, more women than men die from CVD overall because they live longer and are more likely to reach older age groups where CVD is the leading cause of death.
Despite existing national and EU-level policies and cross-sectoral initiatives, demographic change presents an escalating challenge. With Europe’s population ageing, the prevalence of CVDs is projected to rise further by 2050, making “stronger, more coordinated action” increasingly urgent.