Prevention in practice: cardiovascular health checks at the European Parliament

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were offered cardiovascular health checks this month to highlight the importance of early detection and prevention. The initiative was hosted by MEP Romana Jerković, run by the Croatian Hypertension League with the support of the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (EACH). 

It came at a key moment for EU health policy. Following the publication of the EU Safe Hearts Plan, the Council of the European Union is expected to discuss a protocol for cardiometabolic health checks later this year.

The health checks in Brussels built on the Croatian campaign, Hunt The Silent Killers, featured in the ESC Advocacy Bulletin last May. Dr. Ivan Pećin, Vice-President of the Croatian Hypertension League, was on hand in Brussels to support the initiative.  

The key message of the event was 'Know Your Numbers'. Many people in Europe are not aware of cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Now more MEPs are aware of their own risk profile and have first-hand experience of health checks. By offering MEPs health checks in their workplace, the initiative demonstrated how prevention can be integrated into everyday settings.