Cardiologists and Members of the European Parliament advocate for a European Cardiovascular Plan

Cardiologists and members of the European Parliament have called for the creation European Cardiovascular Plan this places prevention at the center of the strategy to reduce the impact of these pathologies, which are the leading cause of death in Europe. This became known at the meeting “Through the heart of Europe” organized by the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) and the Spanish Heart Foundation (FEC), in collaboration with Novartis, on the occasion of World Heart Day, which is celebrated on September 29.

In Europe, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of over 1.7 million deaths per year, according to the latest Eurostat data for 2021. In Spain, more than 120,000 deaths were reported from this cause in 2022, representing 26.1% of the total deaths, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE). More people die from this cause each year than from Covid-19 in 2020. the most tragic year of the pandemic, according to FEC President Andres Iñiguez. For this reason, he raised the question of the various investments that are made in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, the costs associated with Covid, or the budget allocated annually to road safety – an area in which 1,000 deaths occur annually.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of premature deaths from cardiovascular disease can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices. For this reason, Iñiguez emphasized that “compared to the classical model, which focuses on the approach and treatment of the disease, New strategies based on prevention should be a priority.through education and health promotion through a healthy lifestyle from childhood.” He added that while research is important, “perhaps our biggest challenge is applying what we already know to populations.”

European strategy similar to the European Cancer Plan

Experts said health initiatives are already advancing in Europe, despite the community’s limited competence in this area. An example is the European Cancer Plan.

Member of the European Parliament Susana Solis (EPP) assured that in the European Parliament they are “promoting a European strategy for cardiovascular health, is fundamental to improving the quality of life in Europe and reducing inequality between countries.” Solis stressed the importance of prevention and the need for plans to address the consequences of cardiovascular diseases, highlighting that Spain was the first country in the European Union to launch a national plan to combat these diseases.

For his part, MEP Margaret of Pisa (PfE) said there was a need to have a plan similar to the European Cancer Plan, with “youn comprehensive and collaborative work between medical societies, patients and policy makers to achieve outcomes that impact the health of every Member State.” In addition, he highlighted how comparisons between countries can provide evidence on which interventions have improved cardiovascular health and how they should be implemented on a regular basis. De la Pisa also found that Now is the time to start promoting this initiative.as we are at the beginning of the legislative assembly and the European Commission’s mandate and priorities are being defined. The model to be followed will be the same as in the Cancer Control Plan.

Jose CepedaThe S&D MEP emphasized that “when we talk about cardiovascular health, we must give priority to policy, using a common and strategic approach.” He also called for “thinking about healthy cities, where there are places to walk and exercise, and avoid consuming unhealthy foods.” In addition, this MEP emphasized the need to work to reduce inequalities in cardiovascular issues between different groups for social, economic or gender reasons. “It is important that this is possible. fighting inequality and that all Europeans should have the same rights,” he pointed out.

Members of the European Parliament agreed on It is important that the preparation of a cardiovascular plan follows the same methodology as for cancer.which was developed over more than a year with the constant participation of professional experts who helped parliamentarians clearly define priorities.

Natividad Calvente, director of communications at Novartis Spain, who moderated the debate between parliamentarians, emphasized the importance of secondary prevention in the treatment of patients who have already suffered cardiovascular disease. “People who have suffered cardiovascular disease need a national healthcare system.which minimizes the risk of a recurrence of the event and the resulting consequences with subsequent impact on their quality of life,” he explained.

An important challenge for health and the economy

Cardiovascular diseases include not only big challenge for public health, but also an important economic task. The EU economy loses about 210 billion euros a year due to these pathologies.of which 53% correspond to health care costs, 26% to lost productivity, and 21% to informal care costs for people with CVD.

Spain is a pioneer in NHS Cardiovascular Strategy (ESCAV)a comprehensive plan aimed at improving the cardiovascular health of the population. However, José Tuñon of the SEC’s Executive Committee said that “data on the prevalence of various cardiovascular risk factors in the Spanish population still has clear room for improvement.” In this sense, he called for measures to prevent cardiovascular risk to begin as soon as possible in order to limit its long-term impact.

Calling for joint action, cardiologists and European parliamentarians are advocating for a European Cardiovascular Health Strategy to prevent cardiovascular disease and reduce its impact on society.