Experimental and clinical evidence support the role of inflammation in atherosclerosis and its complications. Colchicine is an orally administered, potent antiinflammatory medication that is indicated for the treatment of gout and pericarditis.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality globally. Of the 20.5 million CVD-related deaths in 2021, approximately 80% occurred in low- and middle-income countries. Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study, NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, NCD Countdown initiative, WHO Global Health Observatory, and WHO Global Health Expenditure database, we present the burden of CVDs, associated risk factors, their association with national health expenditures, and an index of critical policy implementation. The Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia region face the highest levels of CVD mortality globally. Although CVD mortality levels are generally lower in women than men, this is not true in almost 30% of countries in the North Africa and Middle East and Sub-Saharan regions. Raised blood pressure remains the leading global CVD risk factor, contributing to 10.8 million deaths in 2019. The regions with the highest proportion of countries achieving the maximum score for the WHF Policy Index were South Asia, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, and the High-Income regions. The Sub-Saharan Africa region had the highest proportion of countries scoring two or less. Policymakers must assess their country’s risk factor profile to craft effective strategies for CVD prevention and management. Fundamental strategies such as the implementation of National Tobacco Control Programmes, ensuring the availability of CVD medications, and establishing specialised units within health ministries to tackle non-communicable diseases should be embraced in all countries. Adequate healthcare system funding is equally vital, ensuring reasonable access to care for all communities.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel intravascular imaging modality, based on infrared light emission, that enables a high resolution arterial wall imaging, in the range of 10–20 microns. This feature of OCT allows the visualization of specific components of the atherosclerotic plaques. The aim of the present Expert Review Document is to address the methodology, terminology and clinical applications of OCT for qualitative and quantitative assessment of coronary arteries and atherosclerosis.

Aims: The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Atlas has been compiled by the European Heart Agency to document cardiovascular disease (CVD) statistics of the 56 ESC member countries. A major aim of this 2017 data presentation has been to compare high-income and middle-income ESC member countries to identify inequalities in disease burden, outcomes, and service provision. Methods and results: The Atlas utilizes a variety of data sources, including the World Health Organization, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and the World Bank to document risk factors, prevalence, and mortality of cardiovascular disease and national economic indicators. It also includes novel ESC-sponsored survey data of health infrastructure and cardiovascular service provision provided by the national societies of the ESC member countries. Data presentation is descriptive with no attempt to attach statistical significance to differences observed in stratified analyses. Important differences were identified between the high-income and middle-income member countries of the ESC with regard to CVD risk factors, disease incidence, and mortality. For both women and men, the age-standardized prevalence of hypertension was lower in high-income countries (18% and 27%) compared with middle-income countries (24% and 30%). Smoking prevalence in men (not women) was also lower (26% vs. 41%) and together these inequalities are likely to have contributed to the higher CVD mortality in middle-income countries. Declines in CVD mortality have seen cancer becoming a more common cause of death in a number of high-income member countries, but in middle-income countries declines in CVD mortality have been less consistent where CVD remains the leading cause of death. Inequalities in CVD mortality are emphasized by the smaller contribution they make to potential years of life lost in high-income countries compared with middle-income countries both for women (13% vs. 23%) and men (20% vs. 27%). The downward mortality trends for CVD may, however, be threatened by the emerging obesity epidemic that is seeing rates of diabetes increasing across all the ESC member countries. Survey data from the National Cardiac Societies showed that rates of cardiac catheterization and coronary artery bypass surgery, as well as the number of specialist centres required to deliver them, were greatest in the high-income member countries of the ESC. The Atlas confirmed that these ESC member countries, where the facilities for the contemporary treatment of coronary disease were best developed, were often those in which declines in coronary mortality have been most pronounced. Economic resources were not the only driver for delivery of equitable cardiovascular health care, as some middle-income ESC member countries reported rates for interventional procedures and device implantations that matched or exceeded the rates in wealthier member countries. Conclusion: In documenting national CVD statistics, the Atlas provides valuable insights into the inequalities in risk factors, health care delivery, and outcomes of CVD across the ESC member countries. The availability of these data will underpin the ESC’s ambitious mission ‘to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease’ not only in its member countries but also in nation states around the world.