Every 72 seconds, a person dies from cardiovascular disease in the country

Every 72 seconds, a person dies from cardiovascular disease in Brazil. As of October 16, the accumulated number of deaths in 2026 had reached 318,945, according to the Cardiometer, a tool of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology (SBC) that now becomes part of the new Cardiovascular Disease Hub, a platform launched by the entity in partnership with the World Heart Federation (WHF). The data show an average of 1,194 deaths per day, or about 50 deaths per hour. The Hub uses mortality data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) of Brazil's Ministry of Health and epidemiological estimates from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023. To calculate mortality rates using SIM data, population estimates provided by DataSUS, with data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), are used. According to the SBC, among the data available in the new Hub are the historical mortality series observed between 2000 and 2024, as well as projections for the coming years. According to the estimates, if the trend recorded over the last two decades continues, Brazil would see a 10.8% increase in deaths from cardiovascular diseases by 2030, rising from 417,550 in 2024 to 462,573 in 2030. Cardiologist Antonio Luiz Pinho Ribeiro, coordinator of the platform, emphasizes that the projections represent probable scenarios if the trends observed over the last two decades continue. "In other words, the forecast does not determine exactly what the level will be in 2030, especially if there are significant changes in the prevalence of risk factors, in the expansion of access to diagnosis and treatment, and in the implementation of public prevention policies," says the physician. The data reinforce the importance of interventions capable of changing this trajectory, such as controlling hypertension and diabetes, reducing smoking, combating obesity and sedentary lifestyles, and providing rapid care for cases of heart attack and stroke. Ribeiro highlights that efforts in these areas resulted in a drastic drop in the death rate over the last 20 years. In 2024, the mortality rate was 195 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, a 36% reduction compared to the 2000s, when the rate was 306.4 deaths per 100,000. The new platform also makes it possible to visualize differences among Brazilian states. According to the data presented by the Hub, the state of Alagoas records the highest mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases, with 245.5 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. It is followed by Amapá, with 225.1 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, and Mato Grosso do Sul, with 220.4. Platform Presented on the opening day of the 81st Brazilian Congress of Cardiology, held in Rio de Janeiro jointly with the World Congress of Cardiology, the new Hub brings together epidemiological data on the main cardiovascular diseases in Brazil in a single environment. The platform allows users to consult absolute numbers, rates, official historical series, and internationally comparable estimates, as well as to view indicators by state, sex, and age group. The initiative seeks to facilitate access to and interpretation of information on cardiovascular health for researchers, journalists, communicators, science content creators, health professionals, public managers, and other interested parties. In addition to bringing together different databases, the tool offers visualization, comparison, and export features that allow users to explore the indicators and produce evidence-based content.