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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

A gamechanger for tackling CVDs: The Roadmap to scale up single pill combination therapies  

Medical advances in the last two decades—including novel therapeutics, the use of artificial intelligence to support diagnosis, and innovative models of care such as telemedicine—have helped countries make tremendous progress in understanding, preventing and treating cardiovascular disease (CVD). Yet, CVDs remain the world’s biggest killer, with more than 20 million people dying each year.   […]

Nancy Brown: A Legacy of Leadership and Impact

The World Heart Federation (WHF) is honoring Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, with its Lifetime Achievement Award for 2025. This prestigious recognition is a testament to Nancy’s extraordinary leadership and lifelong commitment to transforming cardiovascular health on a global scale. Under Nancy’s bold leadership, the Association has become a global […]

World Heart Federation launches global Don’t Miss a Beat campaign to address impact of heart disease

GENEVA, 28 August 2025: The World Heart Federation (WHF) is partnering with sports organizations, hospitals, universities, and businesses to urge people to commit to a month of exercise as part of the battle to tackle heart disease. With this year marking the 25th anniversary of World Heart Day, WHF is launching a global campaign called […]

From the WHO African Region to the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs: WHF’s Key Priorities for Cardiovascular Health

This statement was delivered by Dr. Lilian Mbau, our Advocacy Committee member for AFRO, at the Seventy-Fifth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, under agenda item 16.9 – Progress Report on the Regional Framework for Integrating Essential Noncommunicable Disease Services in Primary Health Care   Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates,   The World Heart […]

Air Pollution

Air Pollution

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Chagas Disease

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Cholesterol

COVID-19

COVID-19

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Healthy Diet

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Hypertension

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Prevention

Prevention

Rheumatic Heart Disease

Rheumatic Heart Disease

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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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