Trends in death rates from cardiovascular diseases for adults (A) aged 30–69 years and (B) 70 years and older. Within each age group, death rates are age-standardized to the WHO standard population. Trends are smoothed using a 5-year moving average. See Figure S1 for results for 30 years and older combined.
Countries in this figure were selected based on recent work by Mathers et al. on trends in life expectancy and cause-specific mortality in ageing populations.213 Of the countries analysed by Mathers et al.,213 we have shown trends for Japan, English-speaking high-income countries, and countries in Western Europe (excluding the above-mentioned smaller countries and Germany), in Central and Eastern Europe, and in Latin America.