The Public Health Importance of the Most Frequent Cardiovascular Diseases

Prema podacima Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije kardiovaskularne bolesti su vodeći uzrok smrti u svijetu, od kojih godišnje umire 16,6 milijuna ljudi, a od toga 5 milijuna ljudi u Europi. U Hrvatskoj kardiovaskularne bolesti (KVB) također su vodeći uzrok smrti. Godine 2001. zabilježene su 26.542 umrle osobe zbog bolesti srca i krvnih žila, a udio u ukupnom mortalitetu iznosio je 53,6%. To praktički znači da je kod svakog drugog umrlog u Hrvatskoj uzrok smrti bila jedna od bolesti cirkulacijskog sustava. Najčešće dijagnostičke podskupine bile su ishemične bolesti srca (IBS) s udjelom od 33,4% i cerebrovaskularne bolesti (CVB) s udjelom od 31,4%. Kardiovaskularne bolesti su i vodeći uzrok hospitalizacija u Hrvatskoj s udjelom od 13,7% i stopom 1692,1 na 100 000 u 2001. godini. Vodeće dijagnostičke podskupine bile su ishemične bolesti srca (27,0%), ostali oblici srčane bolesti (24,2%) i cerebrovaskularne bolesti (23,3%). Kardiovaskularne bolesti kao najčešći uzrok smrti i bolničkog liječenja, sa značajnim brojem izgubljenih godina života u Hrvatskoj su prioritetni javnozdravstveni problem kojemu treba posvetiti posebnu pozornost i intenzivirati rad na programima prevencije, pravodobne dijagnostike, liječenja i rehabilitacije oboljelih.According to WHO, cardiovascular diseases are the world’s leading cause of death, being responsible for the death of 16.6 million people annually, with Europe accounting for 5 million of these. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in Croatia as well. In 2001, we recorded 26,542 deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, 53.6% of the overall mortality. In other words, one of the circulatory diseases was responsible for every second death in Croatia. Most common diagnostic subgroup was ischemic heart disease (CHD) with a share of 33.4% and cerebrovascular disease with 31.4%. Accounting for a share of 13.7% and the hospitalization rate of 1692.1/100,000 in 2001, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of hospitalization in Croatia as well. Ischemic heart disease (27.0%), other forms of heart disease (24.2%), and cerebrovascular disease (23.3%) were the leading diagnostic subgroups. As the most common cause of death and inpatient care, and causing a significant number of years of life lost, cardiovascular diseases are a public health priority for Croatia. They require special attention and intensification of the work on programs of disease prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, as well as of patient rehabilitation