European Markets for Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty and Coronary Stenting Products

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) constitutes the leading healthcare problem in Europe. This broad group of congenital and acquired conditions of the heart and circulatory system, which includes conduction, myocardial, and vascular diseases/disorders, causes nearly half of all deaths in Europe (49%) and is the main cause of years of life lost from early death in the region. Approximately 4.35 million deaths each year in Europe are attributable to CVD, and it is estimated that the direct and indirect costs of CVD in the European Union (EU) alone total more than $169 billion annually. In 2005, the EU member states included Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (U.K.); countries that are candidates for admittance into the EU include Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Turkey.