Global prevalence of pan-vascular diseases: A trend and health inequality analyses

Aims

Pan-vascular diseases pose a significant and growing global public health burden. However, the burden of pan-vascular diseases remains unknown, especially regarding its trends through 2050.

Methods and Results

The global burden of ischemic heart disease (IHD), ischemic stroke (IS), and lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (LEPAD) was analyzed in this study. We investigated the prevalence trends of these pan-vascular diseases from 1990 to 2021 across 204 countries and territories, assesses the impact of population aging, lifestyle changes, and epidemiological shifts on the prevalence of pan-vascular diseases, examines health inequalities between countries, and forecasts trends through 2050.

In 2021, the estimated global cases of IHD, IS, and LEPAD reached 254.3 million, 69.9 million, and 113.7 million, respectively. The age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPR) were 3031, 1018, and 1337 per 100,000 population, with estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) of 0.61%, 0.95%, and 0.1%, respectively. Over recent years, population growth contributed most to the increasing burden of IHD, IS, and LEPAD, with a slightly higher impact in females for IS and LEPAD. Notably, epidemiological factors (-18.9%) partially mitigated the burden of LEPAD despite demographic pressures. Trend projections indicate a slow increase in IHD ASPR, particularly among females, while males exhibit a relatively stable trend through 2050. A similar pattern was observed for IS, whereas ASPR for LEPAD is expected to remain stable. Significant absolute and relative inequalities in disease burden were observed across countries with varying sociodemographic index (SDI) levels.

Conclusions

The burden of pan-vascular diseases continues to rise globally, driven primarily by demographic changes (population growth and aging). Despite improvements in healthcare, significant cross-country health inequalities persist, particularly in high-SDI countries, where the disease burden has intensified. As prevalence trends are projected to increase further, targeted public health interventions and policies are urgently needed to mitigate the growing impact of pan-vascular diseases and reduce global health disparities.