1 CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES: A CASE STUDY OF KENYA. In the 21 st century, non-communicable disease (NCD) global burden poses itself as one of the major impediments to development (UN, 2011). Globally, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has manifested itself as a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide (Binanay , et al., 2015). Disease burden has been identified as a threat to Africa’s development. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the burden of CVD is steadily rising and is expected to cause an increase of about 2.1 million deaths yearly by 2031 (van de Vijver , et al., 2016). Firstly, using Kenya as a case study, this paper will provide the context and magnitude of CVD. Secondly, it will look at the main body in which it will discuss the CVD risk factors, existing control strategies and recommendations. This will then take the essay to the final section which will sum up all that will have been discussed in the previous sections. Section 1. CVDs are categorized as a set of heart and blood disorders, notably coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease and deep vein thrombosis & pulmonary embolism (WHO, 2017). Coronary heart disease affects the blood vessels supplying the heart, cerebrovascular affects the blood vessels supplying the brain, peripheral affects the blood vessels supplying the legs and arms. Rheumatic heart disease is caused by a bacteria streptococcus which leads to rheumatic fever that damages the heart muscle and valves. Congenital heart disease develops from malformations of the heart structure at birth and deep vein thrombosis & pulmonary embolism is gotten from blood clots in the leg veins which make their way to the heart and lungs (WHO, 2017). The epidemiological transition from communicable to NCDs taking place in Kenya results in a double disease burden (MOH, 2016). While NCDs are projected to be on the rise in Kenya, it’s noted that data on its prevalence is lacking (WHO & MOH, 2014). In Kenya, CVD related mortality cases have been projected to increase from 6.1% to 8%, whereas autopsy studies put the deaths at more than 13% (MOH, 2016). Furthermore, the WHO ranks CVD mortality in Kenya at 8% standing as the second highest NCD causation of death (WHO & Kenya, 2017).