In Georgia, as in most countries, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and remature death for both men and women, exerting a huge economic toll on the country and an even greater personal and economic burden on families. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more people die annually from cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke) than from any other cause. In 2008, this amounted to about 17 million people, representing 30% of all deaths worldwide; 80% of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. In 2010, CVD accounted for 71% of all deaths in Georgia, according to the National Center of Disease Control and Public Health. Several modifiable risk factors contribute to cardiovascular disease: tobacco use, physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Because 94% of the adult population in Georgia has at least one CVD risk factor3 there is an urgent need to improve health care services to deliver best practices for prevention and treatment of CVD.
SDR for CVD in people of all ages, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Eur-A and Eur-B+C averages, latest available data:
