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Europe & Central Asia

Europe & Central Asia is the region most affected by noncommunicable diseases, with cardiovascular disease being responsible for more than half of all deaths across the region.

Europe and Central Asia have the highest prevalence of tobacco smoking among adults aged 15 and older as well as the highest alcohol consumption levels in the world.

90%

of all deaths in Europe and Central Asia are due to noncommunicable diseases

4.2M

people die in the region every year because of CVD

Europe & Central Asia have the highest proportion of smokers in the world

Our Members

British Heart Foundation
Georgian Heart Foundation

Georgian Heart Foundation

Heart Research UK
Heart Valve Voice
Inoca International
Kalangos Foundation
ParSirdi.lv
Reach
Russian Society of Cardiology
Sismed
The Healthy Heart Trust

Latest News

Emerging Leaders Programme 2026: Applications are now open

The World Heart Federation (WHF) has announced details of the Salim Yusuf Emerging Leaders Programme 2026, which will take place from 29 November to 3 December 2026 in Florence, Italy. The programme will be hosted by the Menarini Foundation at its House of Sciences in Fiesole. The 2026 seminar will focus on integrated care for […]

Emerging Leaders

Improving hypertension management in The Gambia

The World Heart Federation (WHF) is proud to announce a new national initiative in The Gambia to strengthen hypertension prevention and control, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Cardiac Society of The Gambia and supported by Sanofi’s Global Health Unit. One in four adults is affected by hypertension in The Gambia, yet only […]

Hypertension

Global societies unite to address environmental threats to heart health 

Key take-aways   The European Society of Cardiology, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the World Heart Federation have published the first joint statement calling for urgent action to address environmental stressors as major contributors to cardiovascular disease (CVD).  Environmental risk factors that impact cardiovascular health include air pollution, traffic, airplane and industrial noise, artificial light exposure, chemical pollution, plastic and the various effects […]

A Milestone for Cardiovascular Health in Europe: The EU Safe Hearts Plan

On 16 December, the European Commission published the EU Safe Hearts Plan, the first comprehensive, EU-wide strategy dedicated to cardiovascular health. The Plan marks a major milestone in the EU’s response to cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death across the Union, responsible for 1.7 million deaths every year.  Momentum around the Safe Hearts Plan has been building in […]

Air Pollution

Air Pollution

Chagas Disease

Chagas Disease

Cholesterol

Cholesterol

COVID-19

COVID-19

Diabetes

Diabetes

Healthy Diet

Healthy Diet

Heart Failure

Heart Failure

Hypertension

Hypertension

Obesity

Obesity

Prevention

Prevention

Rheumatic Heart Disease

Rheumatic Heart Disease

Tobacco

Tobacco

Women & CVD

Women & CVD

The most common heart attack symptom, in both men and women, is some type of chest pain, pressure or discomfort. But chest pain is not always the most noticeable symptom, especially in women, who are more likely to experience it as pressure or tightness in the chest. They may even have no chest pain at […]

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