Europe pays heavy price for heart disease: study

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

BRUSSEL (AFP) — Heart disease in Europe claims over two million lives every year, and cost the European Union 192 million euros (285 million dollars) in 2006, a group of health organisations said Tuesday.

A statistical study by the European Society of Cardiology and the European Heart Network also shows huge differences across Europe in death rates due to coronary artery disease and strokes, the two main types of heart disease.

Several countries in eastern and northern Europe -- notably Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia and Estonia -- have mortality rates five to seven times higher than western European nations, especially France, Portugal and Switzerland, the study showed.

These organisations presented their findings Tuesday to deputies in the European Parliament...