This information was shared by Pham Manh Hung, vice president of the Vietnam Society of Cardiology, at the 2025 National Cardiology Conference held on October 18–19 in Hanoi.

"The number of cardiovascular disease cases has doubled over the past 30 years and it remains the leading cause of death," Hung said. He added that nearly 19 million people die each year from cardiovascular disease, accounting for more than 30 percent of total global deaths, far surpassing other causes.

Hung noted that the latest 2025 global burden of cardiovascular disease report highlights changes in disease patterns and care strategies. Notably, the disease is shifting from "rich" to "poor" countries, and from acute to chronic conditions.

More than 75 percent of cardiovascular deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with an estimated global economic loss of over $1 trillion annually, including direct healthcare costs and productivity losses.

Vietnam, categorized as a lower-middle-income country, is experiencing a rapidly growing cardiovascular disease burden. Atherosclerosis-related conditions now account for up to 65 percent of total cases, with coronary artery disease and stroke remaining the top two causes of death, responsible for approximately 200,000 deaths per year, or one-third of all deaths nationwide.

"The rapid increase in cardiovascular disease is clear evidence of the silent outbreak of a global non-communicable pandemic, which is becoming one of the greatest development challenges of the 21st century," Hung stated.

The disease burden is placing enormous pressure on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment efforts. However, most countries, including Vietnam, still focus more on treating late-stage cardiovascular patients rather than primary and primordial prevention. Public health policies on diet, tobacco control, salt reduction, and physical activity remain inconsistent or ineffectively enforced. Healthcare infrastructure and workforce in many countries are not sufficient to meet the rapidly growing demand for cardiovascular care.

In Vietnam, the healthcare workforce remains limited, with significant gaps compared to advanced countries and between regions and levels of care. The number of trained cardiologists is still relatively low compared to demand, with fewer than 2,000 cardiologists serving a population of over 100 million. Meanwhile, scientific and technological advances in cardiology are developing rapidly, but access in Vietnam remains limited.

Experts emphasized the need for an integrated global prevention strategy to reduce the cardiovascular burden. This includes early primary and primordial prevention starting from childhood, through community health education. Global policy actions should focus on reducing risk factors such as salt intake, eliminating trans fats, controlling pollution, and limiting ultra-processed foods. Advanced technologies like big data analytics (AI), personalized risk prediction, and gene therapies (siRNA, CRISPR) for high-risk groups should be applied.

Vo Thu