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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

5th International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies: Let’s call for urgent global air pollution and health action

Statement by the Global Youth Strategy (GYS) on Air Pollution and Climate Health, supported by the World Heart Federation. Today on the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, people affected by and working to fight against air pollution, come together for clean air action. Too often we take our breathing for granted. The […]

Air Pollution

International INTERASPIRE Study published in European Heart Journal reveals major gaps in Preventive Care for Coronary Heart Disease Patients

Press release originally published here. INTERASPIRE, a groundbreaking international study, has revealed serious gaps in the implementation of guideline standards for secondary prevention and cardiac rehabilitation (CR) among patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Conducted from 2020 to 2023, the study involved over 4,500 patients, principally admitted to hospital with an acute heart attack, across […]

A quarter of patients in WHF Study still experiencing persistent long COVID symptom after one year

Following the success of the Global Study on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and COVID-19, and to better understand long COVID, especially in low-resource settings, World Heart Federation (WHF) commenced the WHF Long COVID Sub-study in early 2022. This sub-study aimed to determine the short-term (3 months), medium-term (6 months), and long-term (12 months) sequelae of COVID-19, […]

New report: Hong Kong, London and Madrid top City Heartbeat Index, a heart health benchmark of 50 cities worldwide

PRESS RELEASE Geneva, 28 August 2024 – World Heart Federation (WHF) today launched a first assessment of efforts undertaken by cities to combat cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death including premature death, worldwide. The City Heartbeat Index reveals a contrast in the different approaches taken to tackle threats to heart health, showing a […]

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 […]