EPIDEMIOLOGIC TRANSITION IN PREDOMINANT CAUSES OF DEATH Sequence of Stages

Over the past decade, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has emerged as the single most important cause of death worldwide. In 2010, CVD caused an estimated 16 million deaths and led to 293 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost—accounting for approximately 30% of all deaths and 11% of all DALYs lost that year. Like many high-income countries (HICs) during the past century, now lowand middle-income countries (LMICs) are seeing an alarming and accelerating increase in CVD rates. This chapter describes the features of the epidemiologic transition underlying this shift in CVD morbidity and mortality and evaluates the transition in different regions of the world. Also presented is a survey of the current burden of risk factors and behaviors associated with CVD and their regional variations and trends, followed by a review of the economic impact of CVD and the cost-effectiveness of various strategies to reduce it. Concluding the chapter is a discussion of the diverse challenges posed by the increasing burden of CVD for various regions of the world, as well as potential solutions to this global problem.