Resolution on action to tackle cardiovascular disease

Following the debate on oral question O-0033/2007 tabled by Miroslav Ouzký, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety to the Commission, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on action to tackle cardiovascular disease.

The Parliament calls on the Commission to propose a Recommendation on cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, and on the early identification of high-risk individuals and prevention strategies in Europe, taking into account gender differences so as to ensure gender equality in the health sector. It calls for continued financial support for further research into preventing cardiovascular disease and promoting cardiovascular health at local, national and European levels, including research into cardiovascular disease risk factors, prevalence and genetic factors.

The Commission is invited to:

• launch a survey in order to encourage the equipment of large public spaces, such as railway and metro stations, airports and stadia, with pre-hospital system care such as early defibrillation for victims of cardiac arrest (cardiac fibrillation);
• encourage initiatives and collaborations with interested stakeholders which aim to promote better cardiovascular health through further controls on tobacco and alcohol and an improved diet and physical activity as a means of preventing obesity and high blood pressure and their related complications;
• follow up on its earlier initiatives on exchanges of best practice regarding cardiovascular disease prevention between Member States;
• promote the regular exchange of experience, information and data on cardiovascular health between all stakeholders involved in cardiovascular disease prevention;
• increase the comparability of data by encouraging the establishment of a database that monitors cardiovascular disease prevalence, mortality, morbidity and risk factors across Member States;
• develop, further to the Council's conclusions on Health in all Policies, health impact assessments in order to measure the burden of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure on European economic productivity across Member States;
• point out to Member States the funding opportunities available for cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure screening and prevention methods as well as for further research into cardiovascular disease, such as through the Seventh Research Framework Programme, the Structural Funds and the European Development Fund.

The Parliament invites the Member States to:

• develop and strengthen their risk factor surveillance systems;
• adopt or review national public health strategies so as to include the promotion of health, population and early high-risk management strategies on cardiovascular health, and to develop health impact assessments in order to measure the burden on national healthcare systems, taking into account gender differences so as to ensure gender equality in the health sector;
• establish national guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, including standard best practice guidelines in order to identify high-risk individuals;
• adopt a multi-sectoral approach to cardiovascular health promotion and preventive strategies in consultation with all relevant stakeholders;
• implement public education programmes in order to raise awareness of the risk factors relating to cardiovascular disease and specialist programmes for the further education of health professionals.

Lastly, the Commission and the Member States are asked to establish a consensus on the setting of targets for managing high blood pressure screening and control.