(ANSA) – ROME, SEPTEMBER 27 – Mandatory screening from the age of 18 to evaluate cholesterol and hypertension, electrocardiogram once a year for those over 65, more public areas and cycle paths in cities to encourage physical activity. These are some of the pillars of the first National Strategic Plan for heart health, created by the main scientific cardiology societies and presented in view of World Heart Day on 29 September.
In Europe, heart disease remains the most common cause of mortality, with 113 million people affected, over 12.7 million new cases and overall spending reaching 300 billion euros. And Italy is worse off than other countries. “In this scenario, Italy is placed at a moderate cardiovascular risk level, unlike low-risk ‘cousin’ countries such as France and Spain. This – explains Ciro Indolfi, president of the Italian Federation of Cardiology – translates into a still alarming with deaths exceeding 220 thousand per year, with a prevalence higher than the European average and an overall economic impact of 20 billion in 2021”.
“The burden of these pathologies will increase more and more as a consequence of the aging of the population that characterizes Italy”, declares Pasquale Perrone Filardi, president of the Italian Society of Cardiology. The decisive theme is, therefore, prevention. According to studies, 40% of new cases and 50% of deaths from cardiovascular diseases are avoidable, as they are caused by modifiable risk factors linked to lifestyles. “For this reason the Plan aims to promote campaigns to discourage smoking, nutrition education and physical activity, from school to the workplace”, underlines Fabrizio Oliva, president of the National Association of Hospital Cardiologists. Created with the support of the European Society of Cardiology, the document, which is intended as a reference guide for institutions, also insists on homogeneous treatment paths and digitalisation to streamline bureaucracy. (HANDLE).
2024-09-27 11:48:25