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Western Pacific

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the Western Pacific, accounting for nearly 40% of all deaths.

The region is also home to the world’s largest burden of rheumatic heart disease, which remains a major health issue in low- and middle-income countries in the Western Pacific Region, as well as among Indigenous communities in Australia and New Zealand.

5.7M

people die from CVD every year in the Western Pacific

CVD is the number one cause of death in the region

82,000

people die from rheumatic heart disease every year in the region

Latest News

From Declarations to Implementation: Bold Measures to Reduce the Cardiovascular Burden

This statement was delivered by Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, Chair of the WHF Advocacy Committee, under agenda item 6 – Noncommunicable Diseases – at the 158th session of the WHO Executive Board. Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, The World Heart Federation applauds Member States for the adoption of the Fourth UN Political Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases. We […]

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 […]

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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