[Key Findings from 2022 Korean National Cardio-cerebrovascular Disease Statistics]

This study aimed to describe the methodology used by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) in producing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease incidence statistics based on the Act on the Prevention and Management of Cardio-cerebrovascular Diseases and to present key findings from the 2022 incidence data.

This report describes the context and process of generating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease statistics, the data collection system, and the statistical methodology; moreover, the number of cases, incidence rates, and fatality rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke in 2022 are presented herein.

The numbers of AMI and stroke cases in 2022 were 34,969 and 110,574, respectively, with higher incidences of both conditions among males. The incidence rates per 100,000 population were 68.2 for AMI and 215.7 for stroke; the recurrence rates were 9.6% and 20.4%, respectively. The highest age-standardized AMI incidence rates were observed in Jeonnam and Gwangju, and those for stroke in Jeonbuk and Chungbuk. The 30-day and 1-year fatality rates were highest among older adults for both conditions.

These statistics, produced to support evidence-based policies under the Act on the Prevention and Management of Cardio-cerebrovascular Diseases, revealed increased AMI and stroke incidence rates compared with 2012. However, stroke showed a decreasing trend in age-standardized incidence. The 1-year fatality rates for AMI and stroke were 15.8% and 20.1%, respectively. The results for 2023 are scheduled to be published in December 2025. The KDCA plans to expand the scope of statistical production by prioritizing diseases based on mortality burden, healthcare costs, data feasibility, and policy relevance.