Cardiovascular health in focus: new OECD report and JACARDI experts highlight the path from data to implementation

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) still causes around 1.7 million deaths every year in the European Union. It remains a leading cause of mortality, although most of this burden is preventable. That was the key message of the OECD webinar on 10 February presenting the new EU-funded report ‘State of Cardiovascular Health in the European Union’, which also introduced new monitoring tools and highlighted how the EU Safe Hearts Plan can be translated into practical action, with JACARDI playing an active implementation role. 

The webinar, moderated by Francesca Colombo, Head of the Health Division at the OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, brought together more than 300 participants from EU institutions, national authorities, research, clinical practice and patient organisations.

Opening the event, Antonio Parenti from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety warned that progress in reducing cardiovascular deaths has slowed across Europe. Without stronger prevention and earlier intervention, the overall burden could grow substantially. The recently launched EU Safe Hearts Plan is designed to support Member States in strengthening national plans across prevention, screening, treatment and rehabilitation, with particular attention to vulnerable groups and inequalities in access to care.

New OECD data presented during the webinar show that over three-quarters of cardiovascular deaths in the EU are linked to modifiable risk factors, and trends are worsening in several areas. Around 22% of EU residents live with hypertension, 15% with obesity and 8% with diabetes, while psychosocial risks such as stress, depression and sleep problems affect roughly one third of the population. 

Important screening gaps persist: in the 45–54 age group, nearly three in ten adults have not had their blood pressure checked in the past year, and many have gone five years without testing blood sugar or cholesterol. Speakers stressed that screening only improves outcomes when it is followed by timely diagnosis, treatment and long-term patient support.

From the patient perspective, the panel highlighted that delays and fragmentation in diagnosis and care pathways remain a major barrier to better cardiovascular outcomes. Konstantina Boumaki, Board Member of the European Patients’ Forum, warned that late diagnosis and long waiting times not only worsen prognosis but also erode patient trust in the system. She stressed that reducing inequalities is not about delivering identical care to everyone, but about ensuring that all patients can truly access timely diagnosis, treatment and support; a principle that should guide how national cardiovascular plans are designed and implemented.

Alongside the report, the OECD and the European Commission launched a new Cardiovascular Health Dashboard, an online platform that allows policymakers, researchers and the public to track risk factors, care quality and patient pathways across EU countries.

From measurement to implementation

The discussion focused on a recurring weak point in public health policy: implementation. While the evidence on cardiovascular prevention and care is strong, most strategies fail in execution, noted Dr Héctor Bueno, co-leader of JACARDI’s Work Package on data and scientific coordinator of the Cardiovascular Health Strategy of Spain’s National Health System. The key is a clear vision, participation of patients and citizens, as well as political ownership.

Plans only deliver results when they are operational, measurable and realistic, stressed Dr Bueno. Measurement “is essential for visibility and accountability: without indicators, progress cannot be tracked”. 

He described how the Spanish strategy is built on a broad indicator framework covering prevention, primary care, acute and chronic care, gender aspects and education, supported by a core set of priority measures. Digital integration, interoperable registries and automated data systems are critical to make monitoring sustainable. Dr Bueno also underlined that aligning scientific evidence, political commitment and citizen engagement is as important as funding when moving from strategy to practice.

JACARDI’s cross-sector contribution to the Safe Hearts Plan

Dr Benedetta Armocida, coordinator of JACARDI, highlighted how the joint action supports the Safe Hearts Plan through cross-sector and patient-journey approaches that connect health literacy, risk awareness, screening and prevention with long-term care pathways. “Cardiovascular prevention is not only a health system responsibility but a societal one, requiring coordinated action across sectors,” Dr Armocida noted, reflecting a Health in All Policies approach. 

JACARDI pilots already include early-life interventions to improve children’s understanding of cardiovascular risk and workplace-focused prevention models, alongside broader work on food literacy, healthy environments and equitable access. Digital health and AI tools can accelerate impact, she added, “but only if they are properly integrated into routine care, trusted by users and supported through professional training”. 

The overall conclusion was clear: Europe now has stronger data, shared metrics and a dedicated policy framework through the Safe Hearts Plan. With its indicator frameworks, cross-sector pilots and implementation focus, JACARDI is helping to transform evidence and ambition into tangible improvements in cardiovascular health. 

References:

OECD (2025), The State of Cardiovascular Health in the European Union, OECD Publishing, Paris 

EU Safe Hearts Plan (pdf)

The State of Cardiovascular Health in Europe Dashboard, OECD

The Cardiovascular Health Strategy (CVHS) of Spain’s National Health System, Ministry of Health, Spain (pdf)