Lithuania Ranks Among Worst in Europe for Life Expectancy, Cardiologists Warn

Lithuania faces significant challenges in heart health, ranking among the lowest in life expectancy within the high-income group, according to a recent report by the European Society of Cardiology. The findings, discussed with Professor Tomas Lapinskas, president of the Lithuanian Society of Cardiology, paint a concerning picture of the nation's cardiovascular well-being.

While most high-income countries analyzed in the report saw average life expectancies exceeding 78 years in 2023, Lithuania, along with Hungary, Latvia, and Romania, fell short of this mark. Professor Lapinskas cautioned that this single indicator doesn't pinpoint a sole cause but reflects a broader context of health, prevention access, treatment availability, and societal risk factors.

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This indicator is important to evaluate carefully – it does not explain a single cause, but shows a broader context of health, prevention, treatment accessibility, and societal risk factors.

The report also draws attention to environmental influences on heart health, including air pollution, temperature fluctuations, and urban noise. Lithuania is noted as a country where over a quarter of urban residents are exposed to traffic noise exceeding 55 decibels. Lapinskas stressed that addressing heart health requires looking beyond medical facilities and individual choices to consider the living environment, including transportation, urban planning, and noise levels.

Dietary and lifestyle factors remain critical. The report underscores the benefits of a healthy diet and the risks associated with harmful alcohol consumption for cardiovascular disease. In terms of nutritional environment, Lithuania is identified as having a lower fruit supply, with less than 80 kilograms per capita available annually in 2021, a figure that indicates availability rather than direct consumption.

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When talking about heart health, it is not enough to talk only about medical institutions and individual human choices – it also depends on the environment in which a person lives – transport flows, urban planning, living environment quality, noise, and other factors.