OBJECTIVES Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the major cause of premature death in Europe. CVD treatment and precribing behavior remains a major challenge for the doctors, payers and regulatory bodies. Key aim of our study was to collect and compare reliable and comparable data on drug utilization for CVD therapy in Slovakia during 8 years (2005-2012).   METHODS We utilized review of available costs data sources connected to ATC classification and to cardiovascular diseases (C01-C10). We also looked for Daily Defined Doses (DDD) measurement units. We adopted time frame and data was consequently used for analysis. Costs were used in EUR.  RESULTS Total increase in EUR spent on cardiovascular drugs was more than 60 million EUR (2012 vs 2005). Key growth drivers from selected ATC groups were Vasoprotectives and Calcium channel blockers with 78% and 88% growth respectively (2012 vs. 2005). Amount of drug costs allocated for cardiovascular disease escalated in 2011 with almost 197 million EUR, average price for package reached 5,38 EUR in same year and price per 1 DDD was 0,17 EUR per 1 DDD (2012) compare to 0,16 EUR (2005). Overall unit sales results from 2005 to 2012 show slide growth tendency till 2010 with following slight declined. Growth in units for all ATC group under our scope reached the level of 4,3% (2012 vs 2005). Standardized death rate for CVD decresed from 637,3 in 2005 to 510,4 in 2012 (per 100.000). CONCLUSIONS Increase spending for CVD management translated also into decrease death rate (2012 vs 2005). It is important for regulatory bodies and payers to continue in taking adequate measures that will ensure rational pharmacotherapy alongside with improving prescribing behavior. Combining different measures, such as electronic prescription monitoring and promoting available guidelines for CVD management, could be an effective way.