Despite efforts to develop homogeneity, internationally standardized statistics still remain a goal to be achieved: data are scarcely comparable due to different definition of diseases and available indicators among countries. Indicators are classified into three categories: already available indicators, those to be implemented in the short term and those recommended for long-term implementation.

Recommended indicators should be available for both men and women in the following age ranges: 35 - 44 years, 45 - 54 years, 55 - 64 years, 65 - 74 years, 75 - 84 years and all ages together. Furthermore, to ensure comparability between different countries, the indicators should be standardized by age (35 - 74 years or 35 – 84 years) and sex, using the standard European population as reference.

Available indicators. They are available in all countries of the European Union, include hospital discharge diagnoses and mortality data.

Short-term implementation. This category includes indicators built through record linkage of different sources of information and offering a more exhaustive overview of CVD. To ensure accuracy they require a further level of processing. Population-based registers are the best source of information to build these indicators, such as attack rate and incidence.

Long-term implementation. This is a list of indicators which require more time and more resources to be operational. Most of them represent “validated” versions of short term indicators.