• The rising costs of treating CVDs challenge the sustainability of many healthcare financing models in the region.
• Four modifiable risk factors contribute a majority of the annual costs CVDs levy on Asia-Pacific markets: hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity.
• Hypertension exerts the greatest cost across eight markets studied with an estimated total of US$18bn annually.
• Policy options for primary prevention of all risk factors include “nudges” to positively influence dietary choices as well as partnerships with industry to encourage food reformulation to remove unhealthy ingredients.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has published today The Cost of Silence: Cardiovascular disease in Asia. The report, which is commissioned by Amgen, assesses the economic impact of four key CVD risk factors on the following Asian markets—China, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

Asia-Pacific’s CVD burden sits within the broader context of a rise in non-communicable diseases that is due to both the ageing and urbanisation of growing numbers of people. The incidence rate of CVDs in Asia-Pacific is on the rise, driven primarily by stroke and IHD.^[1] CVDs pose a substantial threat to the health and financial security of citizens as they can be a burden on individuals and on public finances.

The four modifiable risk factors for CVDs are hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity. Hypertension exerts the greatest cost across the eight markets with an estimated total of US$18bn annually. High cholesterol contributes US$15bn, smoking US$11bn, and obesity $8bn.

Smoking is one notable and significant risk factor found primarily in male populations across all studied markets (except for Australia where public campaigns against smoking have shown success). Diet quality is also an issue in part due to social and economic barriers that restrict access to more nutritious food in the region.

Looking forward, a powerful CVD action plan is one that targets the four modifiable risks with multiple interventions from primary prevention to cost-effective treatment methods and secondary prevention. Innovation in service delivery and greater leveraging of data, digital technology and wearable devices can also help optimise CVD detection and management in cost-effective ways.

Rashmi Dalai, the editor of the report, said, “CVD is not only the leading cause of death worldwide but is also a leading cause of disability. As populations in Asia age and the costs to address the CVD burden rise, it is imperative individuals and healthcare stakeholders understand and reduce the four modifiable risk factors in populations.”

The report is available to download here.

Press enquiries:

Jusnita Chang, senior marketing manager, content solutions, Asia
+65 6428 2659
[email protected]

Rashmi Dalai, managing editor, Thought Leadership, The Economist Intelligence Unit
+65 6428 2671
[email protected]

About the research

The Cost of Silence: Cardiovascular disease in Asia is a report commissioned by Amgen and The Economist Intelligence Unit and EIU Healthcare. It provides a study of the economic impact of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors on the following Asian markets: Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand. The study combines an evidence review of existing research on CVDs and primary research that includes expert interviews.

About the Economist Intelligence Unit

The Economist Intelligence Unit is the world leader in global business intelligence. It is the business-to-business arm of The Economist Group, which publishes The Economist newspaper. The Economist Intelligence Unit helps executives make better decisions by providing timely, reliable and impartial analysis on worldwide market trends and business strategies. More information can be found at www.eiu.com or www.twitter.com/theeiu.

About Amgen

Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology. Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people’s lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world’s leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential. For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.