Study Suggests up to 135,000 Lives Could be Saved in Europe Each Year Through Better Control of Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Geneva (ots/PRNewswire) - Results from a large
pan-European study suggest that up to 135,000 deaths from
cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as heart attacks and strokes,
could be prevented in Europe each year though better control of risk
factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and
diabetes.[1] This equates to one preventable death every four
minutes.[1]

The European Study on Cardiovascular Risk Prevention and
Management in Daily Practice (EURIKA) was a large public health study
carried out in 12 European countries. The study included over 7,000
patients who had at least one risk factor for CVD. Results from the
study were presented today by the panel of experts leading the
research, at this year's EuroPRevent medical conference in Geneva.

Dr Eliseo Guallar from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, Baltimore, USA, one of the experts involved in the
study, said: "We already know that certain, risk factors such as high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes, can increase
the likelihood of developing CVD. However, our understanding of the
link between these risk factors and the chance of dying from CVD -
particularly if these conditions are poorly managed - is limited.
With the EURIKA study, we aimed to quantify this link to establish
how many lives we could save each year by providing better
preventative care in Europe."

In analysing results from the study, the experts estimated that
the four key CVD risk factors accounted for nearly 60% (57.7%) of the
risk of dying from CVD in the next 10 years (or 'CVD death'), which
equates to a 5.66% 'excess risk of death'.[1] This means that of the
4.3 million deaths from CVD in Europe each year,[2] an estimated
5.66% are directly linked to the presence of high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes.[1]

Results also suggest that poor management of these risk factors
accounts for nearly 30% (29.2%) of the risk of CVD death, which
equates to a 3.12% 'excess risk of death' - or up to 135,000
preventable deaths every year.[1]

Professor Julian Halcox, Cardiff University, UK, another of the
experts involved in the study, said: "These data highlight the
staggering number of lives that could be saved each year by managing
risk factors for heart disease and stroke more effectively. Having
calculated this link, we must now focus on providing the best
preventative care to patients across Europe. High blood pressure,
high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes can all be managed effectively
through lifestyle changes, appropriate drug treatments or a
combination of the two. Based on these data we are urging doctors and
patients to work even more closely together to control these risk
factors and reduce the long-term risk of cardiovascular death."

CVD is the leading cause of death in Europe; it is responsible
for 54% of deaths in women and 43% of deaths in men, killing more
people than all cancers combined.[2] The main forms of CVD are
coronary heart disease and stroke.

About the EURIKA Study

The European Study on Cardiovascular Risk Prevention and
Management in Daily Practice (EURIKA) was a large public health
study. The study was conducted across 12 European countries including
Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Norway, Russia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK. These countries were selected
to represent the whole spectrum of CVD risk, risk factor control, and
organisation of health-care services across Europe. Data collection
started in May 2009 and was completed in January 2010.

The EURIKA study was funded by AstraZeneca as part of its ongoing
commitment to improving the management of CVD and its risk factors.

About the experts leading the study

The EURIKA study was designed, executed and analysed by an
independent, academic panel of experts from across Europe. Members of
the panel included:

- Eliseo Guallar, Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and
Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research.
John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Baltimore, USA;
Department of Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Population Genetics.
National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC). Madrid, Spain.

- Julian P.J. Halcox, Wales Heart Research Institute, Cardiff
University, Cardiff, UK.

- Jean Dallongeville, Inserm U 744, Institut Pasteur de Lille,
Lille Cedex, France.

- Jose R. Banegas, Department of Preventative Medicine and Public
Health. School of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. CIBER of
Epidemiology and Public Health. Madrid, Spain

- Fernando Rodriguez Artalejo, Department of Preventative
Medicine and Public Health. School of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma
de Madrid. CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health. Madrid, Spain

- Claudio Borghi, Department of Internal Medicine, Ageing and
Clinical Nephrology. University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

- Guy De Backer , Professor Emeritus, Ghent University.
Past-chair of the Department of Public Health, Ghent University,
Ghent Belgium. PAst -director of the Dept of Cardiology at Ghent
University Hospital Ghent Belgium.

- Joep Perk, School of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus
University, Kalmar, Sweden.

- Ph.Gabriel Steg, INSERM U-698, Universite Paris-Diderot and
Assistance Publique - Hopitaux de Paris, Paris, France

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical
business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and
commercialisation of prescription medicines. As a leader in
gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory and
inflammation, oncology and infectious disease medicines, AstraZeneca
generated global revenues of US $32.8 billion in 2009. For more
information please visit: http://www.astrazeneca.com

---------------------------------

[1] Guallar E et al. The European Study on Cardiovascular Risk
Prevention and Management in Daily Practice. Poster P120. Presented
at EuroPRevent, 14-16 April 2011, Geneva, Switzerland

[2] European Heart Network. Cardiovascular Disease Statistics.
http://www.ehnheart.org/cdv-statistics.html Accessed on 28 March
2011.

For more information about the EURIKA study, or to speak with one
of the experts involved in the study, please contact:

Sarah Schapira, Porter Novelli
+44(0)20-7853-2228
sarah.schapira@porternovelli.co.uk
Jennifer Mitchell, Porter Novelli
+44(0)20-7853-2260
jennifer.mitchell@porternovelli.co.uk
Harry King, Porter Novelli
+44(0)20-7853-2276
harry.king@porternovelli.co.uk

ots Originaltext: AstraZeneca
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For more information about the EURIKA study, or to speak with oneof
the experts involved in the study, please contact: Sarah
Schapira,Porter Novelli, +44(0)20-7853-2228,
sarah.schapira@porternovelli.co.uk;Jennifer Mitchell, Porter Novelli,
+44(0)20-7853-2260,jennifer.mitchell@porternovelli.co.uk; Harry King,
Porter Novelli,+44(0)20-7853-2276, harry.king@porternovelli.co.uk