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Premature deaths annually from cardiovascular disease are expected to rise from 5.9 million in 2013 to 7.8 million by 2025 worldwide, if the current trends for hypertension, tobacco smoking, diabetes, and obesity continue. As a result many United Nations member states may not be able to meet targets set in 2013 as part of a global action plan to address non-communicable diseases, which includes reducing premature deaths from cardiovascular disease by 25 per cent by 2025. The UN target is achievable for some countries, including the United States, but only by addressing trends related to risk factors such as high blood pressure, tobacco use, obesity, and diabetes. A study conducted by a global collaborative network of researchers led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said. Described as the first IHME study to forecast health trends, the study is titled: �Estimates of global and regional premature cardiovascular mortality in 2025.� Cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of premature death in the world, include heart attacks, strokes, and other heart and circulatory diseases. The study noted that if the current trends continue, many of the world�s most populous countries including China, India, Russia, Mexico, and Ethiopia, would see no improvement in premature mortality due to heart disease and stroke. Premature deaths from cardiovascular disease would also rise in some countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. Countries such as the US, Brazil, and South Africa would see declines in premature mortality from cardiovascular disease but not enough to meet the UN goal of a 25 per cent reduction. Southeast Asia, East Asia, and South Asia would account for 60 per cent of these deaths. Dr Gregory Roth, Assistant Professor at IHME and the Division of Cardiology at the University of Washington said: �We can clearly see what needs to be done over the next decade to reduce cardiovascular death worldwide. �To have the greatest impact, we need to focus on the leading risk factors in each country. �For most, that means healthier diets, more exercise, quitting tobacco, and less binge drinking of alcohol. �But it also means investing in high-quality primary care and hospitals because many treatments for heart disease work well and can make a real difference,� he added.