Russia's heart health initiative slashes deaths by 21% with free medications

Russia's Long and Active Life project has delivered free medications to over one million high-risk cardiovascular patients. The initiative has also cut adult deaths from heart attacks by more than 21% and strokes by over 15% nationwide.

The national project has expanded rehabilitation services this year. Over 1.2 million people have now completed medical recovery programmes, including those recovering from acute heart events.

Recent decades have seen a shift in cardiac care, with shorter hospital stays for patients—particularly older adults. The focus has moved towards faster rehabilitation and home-based support.

Despite these advances, no public data exists on the project's recent implementation or its regional impact as of February 2026.

The project's efforts have already lowered mortality rates for heart attacks and strokes. Free medications and expanded rehabilitation continue to reach large numbers of patients. However, detailed updates on regional progress remain unavailable.