Changes in cardiovascular medicines utilization and morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease in Lithuania

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality globally. The age-SDR for CVD in Lithuania is one of the highest in the European Union. The European Cardiology Society published guidelines for CVD prevention in clinical practice, which described the following main tools for prevention: smoking cessation, adequate physical activity, healthy nutrition and correction of overweight/obesity, adequate arterial blood pressure (BP), blood lipid metabolism and glycaemic control, and stress management. Arterial hypertension (AH) is the main CVD risk factor, requiring timely treatment. The use of cardiovascular medicines (CVM) is widespread and increasing, with the goal of lowering CVD complications and improving patient outcomes. The increasing use of antihypertensive medicines in Lithuania, exceeds that of other countries, but the effects of this increased drug use on the CVD death rate and morbidity have not yet been observed. Administrative databases were created in many of the European countries to collect data regarding the distribution and use of Long-term research on CVM use has not yet been conducted in Lithuania, despite the existence of data regarding reimbursed drugs dating back to the year 2000 (the National Health Insurance Fund [NHIF] database). This research would allow the evaluation of CVM utilization pattern and rationality, its impact on CVD mortality, and provide information on interventional tools to improve CVM use