Key result
BRICS nations show divergent CVD trajectories, with rising incidence in China and worsening mortality in South Africa.
Why the study?
This study aimed to analyze the burden and temporal trends of cardiovascular diseases in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa from 1990 to 2021.
Observational
Yes
While overall age-standardized cardiovascular disease rates have generally declined across BRICS nations from 1990 to 2021, significant disparities persist, notably rising incidence in China and increasing mortality in South Africa.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Informs CVD planning in BRICS; leaves open drivers of trends and need for targeted trials.
This study aimed to analyze the burden of cardiovascular diseases in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) countries from 1990 to 2021, focusing on trends in age-standardized incidence (ASIR), age-standardized prevalence, age-standardized mortality (ASMR), and age-standardized disability-adjusted life years. Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study. Age-standardized rates were used to ensure comparability across countries and time periods. Temporal trends were evaluated using annual average percentage change (AAPC), estimated via Joinpoint regression analysis. Statistical analyses and visualizations were conducted using R software (version 4.3.3), with a significance level of P < .05. Globally, ASIR declined from 878.79 per 100,000 in 1990 to 787.04 per 100,000 in 2021 (AAPC: −0.35%), while incidence cases increased from 347.42 to 668.10 million. Among BRICS countries, ASIR declined in Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa, with the largest decrease observed in Brazil (AAPC: −0.67%), whereas China was the only country to show an increasing ASIR (AAPC: 0.11%). Age-standardized prevalence increased in Russia, India, and China, while South Africa showed a slight decline. ASMR declined globally and in most BRICS countries, except for South Africa, where ASMR increased (AAPC: 0.36%). Age-standardized disability-adjusted life years showed a downward trend across all BRICS nations, with the most significant decline in Brazil (AAPC: −2.29%). Despite a general decline in the cardiovascular diseases burden across BRICS nations, substantial heterogeneity persists. The continuing rise in prevalence and case numbers in China and India, coupled with the increasing mortality observed in South Africa, indicate gaps in prevention and treatment. Tailored national strategies – focusing on primary prevention, early detection, and health system strengthening – are essential to address these disparities.
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Li et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Cardiovascular diseases. Temporal trends across BRICS nations (1990-2021) vs. Global burden trends and cross-country comparisons was evaluated on Age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), prevalence, mortality rate (ASMR), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of cardiovascular diseases (Global ASIR AAPC -0.35%, p=<0.05). BRICS countries showed heterogeneous CVD trends from 1990-2021, with ASIR rising only in China and ASMR increasing only in South Africa.
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