Marcelo F. Di Carli • Maurizio Dondi
Raffaele Giubbini • Diana Paez
Editors

2022

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for 71% of deaths globally and, among them, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death, accounting for almost 44%, followed by cancer with 22%, respiratory diseases with 9%, and diabetes with 4% (World Health Organization n.d.-a). According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 15 million people, aged between 30 and 69 years, die annually from an NCD. More than 85% of these “premature” deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Cardiovascular diseases account for the majority of NCD-related deaths.