Last month, together with other European public health organisations, we co-authored a position paper entitled "A Joint Reaction to the Council Conclusions on Cardiovascular Health," addressing the European Union's leading cause of mortality: cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The initiative was led by our colleagues at the European Public Health Association. CVD accounts for approximately 42.5% of all annual deaths in the EU, equating to around 10,000 lives lost daily. Beyond the immediate health implications, CVD imposes substantial economic burdens, with annual healthcare costs exceeding EUR 282 billion, including EUR 48 billion attributed to productivity losses. The position paper underscores the critical need for coordinated action to address these challenges, emphasising objectives such as reducing premature mortality through early intervention and prevention, improving the quality of life for individuals affected by CVD, and addressing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes across Member States.
A notable aspect of the paper is its focus on shared risk factors between CVD and other conditions, including dementia. Both diseases share modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, smoking, and high LDL cholesterol. Addressing these commonalities presents an opportunity to amplify health improvements across multiple conditions. The position paper highlights the findings of the 2024 Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, which identified 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia, many overlapping with those for CVD. By implementing comprehensive strategies targeting these shared risk factors, there is potential to significantly reduce the incidence of both CVD and dementia. The position paper calls for bold, measurable actions akin to the EU Cancer Mission, advocating for the development of a comprehensive EU cardiovascular health strategy to address disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. This includes regular reporting on cardiovascular health metrics, implementing robust policies targeting tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy food consumption, and sedentary behaviour. Alzheimer Europe remains committed to collaborating with partners to advance public health policies that address shared risk factors, ultimately aiming to reduce the burden of both cardiovascular diseases and dementia across Europe. Read the position paper:
https://eupha.org/repository/advocacy/2025/Joint%20Reaction%20Cardiovascular%20Health.pdf