Today, during the first meeting of the MEP Cardiovascular Health Group at the European Parliament, the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (EACH) is launching its new publication: A European Cardiovascular Health Plan: The Roadmap.
The roadmap sets out a bold vision: to reduce premature and preventable deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Europe by one third by 2030. Achieving this requires coordinated action on prevention, early intervention, and rehabilitation, supported by EU-wide and national policy measures.
The Roadmap outlines key pillars for the future EU Cardiovascular Health Plan, including prevention (primordial, primary, and secondary), early intervention, rehabilitation, and quality of life. It proposes concrete actions such as a European Cardiovascular Health Check, a CVH Knowledge Centre, and a Health Observatory. It also calls for digital innovation, national action plans, and a dedicated research agenda to support evidence-based, person-centred care across Europe.
Inclusion and equity must be at the core of a European Cardiovascular Health Plan:
The success and impact of the European CVH Action Plan will be shaped not only
by what is achieved over the next few years, but also by how it is achieved, leaving
no-one and no country behind. The Plan must address societal barriers, underserved
populations, discrimination on all grounds, and fundamental inequalities pervading
health systems across Europe.
Cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death in the EU, accounting for 36% of all deaths and affecting 62 million people across the region.
