Heart disease is common in Romania and the number of Romanians suffering from the condition is nearly double the European average, according to estimates made by Romanian doctors.

According to Ovidiu Chioncel, doctor at the CC Iliescu Institute in Bucharest, heart failure is a common disease in Romania. “A recent study conducted by us shows an incidence of 4.7 percent, which is enormous,” said Chioncel during a conference organized at the institute, quoted by Agerpres. He added that the mortality rate is high among patients with this condition.

The Head of the institute’s cardiology unit, Cezar Macarie, also highlighted that heart failure is very common in Romania and the risk of developing this disease increases with the age. “There are few prevalence studies for Eastern European countries. We carried out the study in 2011 and the prevalence is nearly double the level in Europe overall, over 4 percent, which is very high." Cezar Macarie added that untreated problems with high blood pressure contribute to the level of heart disease among the Romanian population.

Macarie also pointed out that the standard of medical care in Romania is good, but the mortality rate remains high.

The gaps to be overcome in the heart failure treatment programs in Romania, such as the need to find efficient solutions in order to combat the increasing costs in the care system for cardiac patients, was just one of the issues approached during the conference organized recently at the CC Iliescu Institute of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery in Bucharest, according to local news agency Agerpres. Mihai Gheorghiade, professor in medicine-cardiology in the US also referred to the need for new treatment options for those whom the existing therapies have failed.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com