Digital health tools, artificial intelligence and remote monitoring are set to play an important role in the European Union’s response to cardiovascular disease, as the European Commission prepares its first EU-wide strategy to address the bloc’s leading cause of death. A coordinated, people-centred approach — covering prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and post-acute care — is increasingly seen as essential to improving outcomes and reducing long-standing inequalities.
According to The State of Cardiovascular Health in the European Union report, Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the EU’s single biggest health burden. In 2022, it accounted for around one in three deaths — approximately 1.7 million people — and affects an estimated 62 million Europeans.
Despite major declines in mortality since the 1970s, recent data suggest that progress has stalled or reversed in parts of Europe, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pandemic setbacks and widening gaps
The years following 2019 marked a turning point for cardiovascular outcomes in several EU countries. Member States with high CVD mortality before the pandemic saw absolute increases in deaths, while countries with lower baseline mortality generally recorded stable or declining trends.
The result is a widening gap in cardiovascular health across the EU.
These geographical inequalities are most visible between Western and Northern Europe and parts of Central and Eastern Europe, where cardiovascular mortality remains significantly higher. Reducing these disparities would translate directly into longer life expectancy and healthier life years across the Union.
Gender differences remain pronounced
Men continue to face higher cardiovascular mortality than women across all EU countries. In 2022, age-adjusted CVD mortality was on average 43% higher among men, with the largest differences seen under the age of 65.
At the same time, cardiovascular disease remains the dominant cause of death among women in several Central and Eastern European countries. In Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, up to two-thirds of all female deaths are attributed to CVD. Ischaemic heart disease is more prevalent and more lethal in men, particularly at younger ages, while stroke mainly affects older populations and shows less gender disparity.
Premature deaths and lost working years
Between 2012 and 2022, premature mortality from cardiovascular disease fell across the EU by around 20% in men and 23% in women.
However, these gains were partly undone during the pandemic years. Between 2019 and 2021, premature CVD mortality increased in several countries, with the largest rises recorded in Lithuania, Latvia, Romania and Bulgaria.
The economic impact is substantial. On average, EU countries lose nearly 1,302 potential years of life per 100,000 people due to premature CVD deaths before the age of 75.
In 2021 alone, an estimated 256 million working days were lost due to CVD-related illness and disability, alongside 1.3 million lost working years from premature deaths. The resulting productivity loss is estimated at €47 billion.
Living with cardiovascular disease
Beyond mortality, cardiovascular disease has a significant impact on daily life. Data from the OECD PaRIS survey show that people living with CVD report lower overall well-being, reduced social functioning, poorer physical health and worse mental health compared with people without the condition.
These differences persist even when compared with people living with other chronic diseases, underlining the long-term personal and social burden of cardiovascular conditions.
Inequality as a defining factor
Socio-economic status remains a major driver of cardiovascular risk and outcomes. People with lower income and education levels experience higher prevalence, higher mortality and poorer health outcomes.
For stroke and diabetes, prevalence among lower-educated populations is more than double that of higher-educated groups.
Lower-income and lower-educated individuals also report more difficulty managing their health conditions, lower use of preventive services and poorer mental and physical well-being.
Cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes disproportionately affect disadvantaged groups, including some ethnic minorities and people with serious mental illness or disabilities.
Commission for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, said: “The State of the Cardiovascular Health in the EU report, comes at crucial moment, providing robust evidence and analysis which underpins the urgent need for the Safe Hearts Plan to reverse trends that point towards a doubling of cardiovascular diseases by 2050.”
In 2021, the total societal cost of cardiovascular disease in the EU was estimated at more than €282 billion.
This includes healthcare expenditure, productivity losses due to illness and premature death, and long-term disability and social care.
In countries with high CVD prevalence — particularly in Central and Eastern Europe — the economic burden is especially heavy relative to GDP. Overall, the societal cost of cardiovascular disease in the EU exceeds that of cancer, largely due to the long-term care needs associated with CVD.
16.12.2025.
