Read an interview with Marianne Takki, Head of Unit for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the European Commission

With the contribution of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC), the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care (ACVC), and the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the ESC

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in the EU, claiming 1.7 million lives lost each year.

Cardiovascular complications contribute to adverse outcomes in patients with influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections. While the association of RSV infection with cardiovascular events (CVE) has been described, data are limited.

What is the risk of acute cardiovascular complications in adults hospitalized for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vs influenza or SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection?

People with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are at a higher risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases, such as influenza, with a higher likelihood of severity and complications.

Respiratory infections can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases among all people. Studies show that for CVD patients diagnosed with flu, the risk of experiencing a heart attack increases 6-fold.

In conclusions recently approved, the Council puts forward a series of measures aimed at improving cardiovascular health in the EU, focusing specifically on prevention, early detection, treatment and rehabilitation.