Cardiovascular diseases are Romania’s top killer, exceeding EU averages; lifestyle and healthcare funding are major issues.
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Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally and in Romania, where deaths from this condition are 2.5 times higher than the EU average. In 2024, over 130,000 people died from cardiovascular issues in Romania, with more than half of all deaths attributed to this cause. Medical professionals note that cardiovascular diseases are increasingly affecting younger individuals, sometimes as young as 18 years old, and patients often underestimate the seriousness of heart conditions. Risk factors such as obesity (67% in Romania), smoking (19%), excessive alcohol consumption (36%), and inadequate physical activity (8%) are significantly higher in Romania compared to OECD averages. Bulgaria shows even worse statistics for cardiovascular deaths. In contrast, countries like Czechia show a decrease in these deaths due to improved medical care, while Poland demonstrates that many premature deaths are preventable through lifestyle changes. According to the “Health at a Glance: Europe 2024” report, Romania ranks poorly across multiple health indicators, being last in treatable causes of death and second-to-last in preventable causes among EU countries. Furthermore, Romania allocates significantly less per capita spending on healthcare than the EU average, placing it among the top five countries with unmet medical needs due to lack of funding, distance, and long waiting times. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in both Romania and the EU.
