https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2026.16005
Trends in cardiovascular disease mortality and burden in Albania, 1990-2023: a comparison with Southeastern European countries
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Accepted: 1 October 2026
Published: 23 October 2026
Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. We analyzed long-term trends in CVD mortality and disease burden in Albania between 1990 and 2023, using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2023, and compared Albania’s profile with six other Southeastern European (SEE) countries. Crude CVD mortality and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY) rates in Albania increased markedly over the study period, reflecting demographic ageing, whereas age-standardized rates declined substantially, indicating improvements in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The proportion of deaths and DALYs attributable to CVDs increased significantly, highlighting the growing dominance of these chronic conditions within the Albanian national health profile. Comparative analysis revealed persistent disparities across SEE countries: Slovenia achieved the lowest age-standardized mortality and DALY rates by 2023, whereas Serbia continued to exhibit the highest burden. Albania ranked intermediate, with reductions evident but still above global averages. Overall, findings from this analysis emphasize the urgent need for coordinated regional strategies to reduce CVD risk factors, strengthen preventive services, and improve equity in healthcare outcomes across SEE countries.
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CRediT authorship contribution
Laureta Dibra and Genc Burazeri contributed to the study conceptualization and design, analysis and interpretation of the data and writing of the article. Gentiana Qirjako, Armand Gjana and Alban Dibra commented comprehensively on the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the submitted manuscript.
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Data Availability Statement
All data are publicly available at: https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/.
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