Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for nearly one in three deaths worldwide and is the number one cause of death. Advances in CVD research during the past two decades have resulted in an improved understanding of the chain of events that lead to end-stage heart disease.
Information on Cardiovascular Disease
In Europe, CVD causes nearly half (48%) of all deaths, and in the US, two Americans die every minute from CVD. About half of all deaths from CVD are from coronary heart disease and nearly one-third are from stroke. Each year, 15 million people worldwide suffer strokes and 5 million are left permanently disabled (sources: WHO, AHA, World Health Report).
Risk reduction in patients at high cardiovascular risk
Advances in CVD research during the past two decades have resulted in an improved understanding of the chain of events that lead to end-stage heart disease. The progression of CVD can be regarded as a continuum: from the onset of hypertension, increased low-density lipoproteins and type 2 diabetes, through atherosclerosis and cardiac remodelling, to end-organ failure with resultant myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure and end-stage renal disease. The risk of a cardiovascular (CV) event increases with the number of CV risk factors present. Activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), via angiotensin II, is implicated at all stages of this cardiovascular continuum. Blockade of the RAS, with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), reduce blood pressure and also interrupt the progressive vascular damage associated with hypertension and other cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
Products
Micardis® (telmisartan)
Indicated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the reduction of the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, or death from CV causes in patients 55 years of age or older at high risk of developing major CV events who are unable to take ACE inhibitors.
Indicated by the European Commission (EMEA) for the reduction of CV morbidity in patients with manifest atherothrombotic CV disease (history of coronary heart disease, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease) or type 2 diabetes mellitus with documented target organ damage.
