Study Suggests up to 135,000 Lives Could be Saved in Europe Each Year Through Better Control of Cardiovascular Risk Factors

GENEVA, April 15, 2011 - Results from a large pan-European study suggest that up to 135,000 deaths
from cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as heart attacks and strokes, could
be prevented in Europe each year though better control of risk factors
including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes.[1]
This equates to one preventable death every four minutes.[1]

The European Study on Cardiovascular Risk Prevention and Management in
Daily Practice (EURIKA) was a large public health study carried out in 12
European countries. The study included over 7,000 patients who had at least
one risk factor for CVD. Results from the study were presented today by the
panel of experts leading the research, at this year's EuroPRevent medical
conference in Geneva.

Dr Eliseo Guallar from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health, Baltimore, USA, one of the experts involved in the study, said: "We
already know that certain, risk factors such as high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, smoking and diabetes, can increase the likelihood of developing
CVD. However, our understanding of the link between these risk factors and
the chance of dying from CVD - particularly if these conditions are poorly
managed - is limited. With the EURIKA study, we aimed to quantify this link
to establish how many lives we could save each year by providing better
preventative care in Europe."

In analysing results from the study, the experts estimated that the four
key CVD risk factors accounted for nearly 60% (57.7%) of the risk of dying
from CVD in the next 10 years (or 'CVD death'), which equates to a 5.66%
'excess risk of death'.[1] This means that of the 4.3 million deaths from CVD
in Europe each year,[2] an estimated 5.66% are directly linked to the
presence of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes.[1]

Results also suggest that poor management of these risk factors accounts
for nearly 30% (29.2%) of the risk of CVD death, which equates to a 3.12%
'excess risk of death' - or up to 135,000 preventable deaths every year.[1]

Professor Julian Halcox, Cardiff University, UK, another of the experts
involved in the study, said: "These data highlight the staggering number of
lives that could be saved each year by managing risk factors for heart
disease and stroke more effectively. Having calculated this link, we must now
focus on providing the best preventative care to patients across Europe. High
blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes can all be managed
effectively through lifestyle changes, appropriate drug treatments or a
combination of the two. Based on these data we are urging doctors and
patients to work even more closely together to control these risk factors and
reduce the long-term risk of cardiovascular death."

CVD is the leading cause of death in Europe; it is responsible for 54% of
deaths in women and 43% of deaths in men, killing more people than all
cancers combined.[2] The main forms of CVD are coronary heart disease and
stroke.

About the EURIKA Study

The European Study on Cardiovascular Risk Prevention and
Management in Daily Practice (EURIKA) was a large public health study. The
study was conducted across 12 European countries including Austria, Belgium,
France, Germany, Greece, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey
and the UK. These countries were selected to represent the whole spectrum of
CVD risk, risk factor control, and organisation of health-care services
across Europe. Data collection started in May 2009 and was completed in
January 2010.

The EURIKA study was funded by AstraZeneca as part of its
ongoing commitment to improving the management of CVD and its risk factors.

About the experts leading the study

The EURIKA study was designed, executed and analysed by an
independent, academic panel of experts from across Europe. Members of the
panel included:

- Eliseo Guallar, Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch
Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research. John Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health. Baltimore, USA; Department of
Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Population Genetics. National Center for
Cardiovascular Research (CNIC). Madrid, Spain.

- Julian P.J. Halcox, Wales Heart Research Institute, Cardiff University,
Cardiff, UK.

- Jean Dallongeville, Inserm U 744, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille
Cedex, France.

- Jose R. Banegas, Department of Preventative Medicine and Public Health.
School of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. CIBER of Epidemiology and
Public Health. Madrid, Spain

- Fernando Rodriguez Artalejo, Department of Preventative Medicine and
Public Health. School of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. CIBER of
Epidemiology and Public Health. Madrid, Spain

- Claudio Borghi, Department of Internal Medicine, Ageing and Clinical
Nephrology. University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

- Guy De Backer , Professor Emeritus, Ghent University. Past-chair of the
Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent Belgium. PAst -director
of the Dept of Cardiology at Ghent University Hospital Ghent Belgium.

- Joep Perk, School of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University,
Kalmar, Sweden.

- Ph.Gabriel Steg, INSERM U-698, Universite Paris-Diderot and Assistance
Publique - Hopitaux de Paris, Paris, France

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business
with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialisation of
prescription medicines. As a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular,
neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, oncology and infectious disease
medicines, AstraZeneca generated global revenues of US $32.8 billion in 2009.
For more information please visit: www.astrazeneca.com

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[1] Guallar E et al. The European Study on Cardiovascular Risk Prevention
and Management in Daily Practice. Poster P120. Presented at EuroPRevent,
14-16 April 2011, Geneva, Switzerland

[2] European Heart Network. Cardiovascular Disease Statistics.
www.ehnheart.org/cdv-statistics.html Accessed on 28 March 2011.

For more information about the EURIKA study, or to speak with
one of the experts involved in the study, please contact:

    Sarah Schapira, Porter Novelli
    +44(0)20-7853-2228
    sarah.schapira@porternovelli.co.uk

    Jennifer Mitchell, Porter Novelli
    +44(0)20-7853-2260
    jennifer.mitchell@porternovelli.co.uk

    Harry King, Porter Novelli
    +44(0)20-7853-2276
    harry.king@porternovelli.co.uk

For more information about the EURIKA study, or to speak with one of the experts involved in the study, please contact: Sarah Schapira, Porter Novelli, +44(0)20-7853-2228, sarah.schapira at porternovelli.co.uk; Jennifer Mitchell, Porter Novelli, +44(0)20-7853-2260, jennifer.mitchell at porternovelli.co.uk; Harry King, Porter Novelli, +44(0)20-7853-2276, harry.king at porternovelli.co.uk