Increasing Rates of Cardiovascular Conditions
The number of people diagnosed with heart failure is increasing. According to the 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure, approximately 1-2% of adults worldwide have heart failure. Prevalence increases with age, from 1% in those under 55 years to more than 10% in people aged 70 and above. Similarly, the prevalence of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm or arrhythmias, is also increasing. According to the 2021 ESC Guidelines, 2-4% of the adult population has atrial fibrillation, with the expectation that this will increase 2-3 times with age.
