China in the Cardiovascular Epidemic: A Warning Bell

Many people in China have high cardiovascular risk, but few are treated with cardioprotective medications or risk-factor reduction.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing in China. These investigators evaluated prevalence of high CVD risk and strategies to lessen it (treatment of risk factors and use of cardioprotective medications) in over 1.6 million Chinese residents (age range, 35–75) from 141 county-level regions in all 31 provinces of China.

Overall, 9.5% of participants were considered to be at high CVD risk (men, 11.8%; women, 8.0%). Rural areas had a higher prevalence of CVD risk than urban areas (10% vs. 8%). Not surprisingly, high CVD risk increased as people aged (men ages 35–39, 1.5%; ages 70–75, 34.7%; women, 0.5% and 27.7%, respectively). In multivariable mixed models, high CVD risk was associated with Han ethnicity, having medical insurance, current u…

Reviewing Author

Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, FACC

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBoehringer Ingelheim; Amgen; Novartis; Lilly; Amarin

Speaker’s BureauBoehringer Ingelheim

Grant/Research SupportNIH

Editorial BoardsCirculation (Associate Editor)