Cardiovascular disease in China

Cardiovascular disease in China is on the rise.^[1]Health statistics shows that the ischemic heart disease mortality rate in rural China has approximately doubled since 1988.^[2] While heart disease rates have been rising more rapidly in rural regions since 2009, Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of mortality among both urban and rural populations, accounting for nearly half of all deaths in 2020.^[3]

Unlike in developed countries, there is no preventive or primary health care system in place to stop the rise of cardiac disease. The true prevalence of heart disease in rural China remains unclear due to rural providers have low levels of competence to diagnose and manage patients presenting with cardiovascular disease despite expanded access to primary care. There is a need to ascertain the real incidence and prevalence of heart disease and to develop adequate preventive and primary care in the Chinese countryside.^[2][4]

Stroke is the largest cardiovascular killer in China^[5] at about 40% of total mortality in 2007^[6] (approx. 280 per 100 000)

• Liu, Lisheng. "Cardiovascular diseases in China". Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Volume 85, Number 2, 1 April 2007, pp. 157–163(7)
• Richard A Jonas, MD. Evolving Healthcare for Congenital Heart Disease in China Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 1998;6:151-152
• Vitamin B12 & Folic Acid Supplementation Proved to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke in China - Chinese University of Hong Kong, 6 May 2006
• Jin Ling Tang and Yong Hua Hu. Drugs for preventing cardiovascular disease in China BMJ 2005;330;610-611
• The current state of cardiology in China IJC Volume 96, Issue 3, Pages 425-439 (September 2004)
• Welcome to Tsung O Cheng, Roving Ambassador for Chinese Cardiovascular Science
• Tsung O. Cheng Diets play a major role in heart diseases in China Lipids Volume 39, Number 3 / March, 2004

• China, "Bridging the Gap" Project collaborative project between the World Heart Federation, the Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung & Blood Vessel Diseases-Beijing Anzhen Hospital, the Chinese Society of Cardiology and the China National Health Heart Programme.
• China-California Heart Watch (China Cal) - A non-profit corporation dedicated to understanding and relieving problems of heart disease and health care in rural China
• Study Warns Of Growing Cardiovascular Disease Epidemic In China As Western Diets And Lifestyles Are Adopted 17 Apr 2006

National organizations

• International Chinese Heart Health Network (ICHHN)

Projects

• Zhengming Chen MBBS DPhil