
The European Commission recently published a communication to the European Parliament, the Council and two committees on ‘an EU cardiovascular health plan : the Safe Hearts Plan’.
The EU cardiovascular health plan (Safe Hearts Plan) is a strategic response to the EU’s leading health challenge. Its aim is to deliver tangible benefits for citizens, health systems and society through a focused set of ambitious, high-impact actions.
The Safe Hearts Plan is centred on three pillars – prevention, early detection and screening, and treatment and care (including rehabilitation) – and supported by three cross-cutting themes on digital innovation, research and knowledge, and tackling inequalities. It seeks to strengthen national policies while adding clear EU value.
Cardiovascular diseases remain the biggest public health challenge in the EU despite advances in their prevention and management. They are the leading cause of death and disability in the EU, claiming 1.7 million lives every year and affecting around 62 million people in many ways that go beyond just physical symptoms. The economic cost exceeds EUR 282 billion per year, including EUR 47 billion in lost productivity.
The plan is available to download here
A question and answer document is also available here




