The global problem of cardiovascular disease.

The greatest cause of death throughout the world today is noncommunicable disease. In Western societies, coronary artery disease is a principal cause of death. In developing countries, the incidence of coronary disease is rising as well. Heart disease often occurs in younger persons in developing societies, resulting in a disproportionately greater number of years of life lost. The reason for this change in global patterns of mortality is that deaths from infectious diseases are declining, resulting in greater life expectancy and changing lifestyles.