The cardiovascular revolution and economic performance in the OECD countries

We find strong evidence that variation in cardiovascular mortality from year 2000 to year 2012 helps to explain variation in income per capita across the OECD countries. Most of the source of variation, however, comes from Eastern Europe. Better diffusion of surgical and therapeutic treatments since the year 2000 has demonstrably benefitted those still in the labor force in these relatively poor nations.