Dynamics of cardiovascular diseases among Kharkiv residents during the war in 2022 and 2023

In press Background. The full-scale invasion in Ukraine has become a serious challenge for the healthcare system, in particular for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Aim. To investigate the peculiarities of the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in Kharkiv residents in wartime, in 2022 and 2023. Materials and Methods. The study used medical-statistical and comparative methods. Data from the Center for Medical Statistics of the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine on cardiovascular pathology were analyzed. The comparison was based on absolute rates of morbidity due to the lack of reliable data on the number of the existing population during the war. Results and Conclusions. The number of registered cases of hypertension increased from 192,919 to 211,214 cases from 2022 and 2023, which corresponds to an absolute increase of 18,295 cases (9.5%). Angina pectoris demonstrated an increase in the number of reported cases from 46,844 in 2022 to 54,850 in 2023, which is an increase of 8,006 cases (17.1%). The analysis of the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction also showed a negative trend. In 2022, 977 cases were registered, while in 2023 there were already 1,176 cases, which is an increase of 199 cases (20.4%). The prevalence of strokes also shows an upward trend – in 2022; 1,630 cases were reported, and in 2023; 1,857 cases were reported, an increase of 227 cases (13.9%). We attribute the increase in the number of cases of cardiovascular diseases to the influence of stress factors, changes in lifestyle, worsening access to medical care, worsening socio-economic living conditions of the population in war-affected regions, insufficient physical activity, sleep disorders (apnea). In addition, an important factor could be the restriction of preventive measures and medical examinations due to wartime conditions, which led to untimely detection and treatment of pathologies in the early stages. Keywords: martial law, hypertension, angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, strokes.