CALL FOR ACTION “Integrating comprehensive screening for cardio-renal-metabolic diseases into the EU Cardiovascular Health Action Plan
On August 11th, the European Commission opened a Call for Evidence to gather input for the creation of The EU Plan for Cardiovascular Health. Prestigious European cardiologists, nephrologists, and general practitioners have called on the European Commission to adopt concrete measures within the screening of cardio-renal-metabolic risks. The group published its Call for Action on the Commission's website today and launched a petition to support it.
Cardio-renal-metabolic syndrome (CRM) is a progressive and interconnected disorder where dysfunction in the heart, kidney, and metabolic system are interconnected and worsen each other. The presence of a single risk factor, like obesity or diabetes, initiates a cycle of synergistic deterioration that significantly increases the risk for comorbid conditions like heart failure and chronic kidney disease.
The EU Cardiovascular Health Action Plan presents a critical opportunity to address the interconnected risks of CRM diseases.
Our CALL FOR ACTION “Integrating comprehensive screening for cardio-renal-metabolic diseases into the EU Cardiovascular Health Action Plan” proposes routine primary care screening with a biomarker panel to detect CRM syndrome. This panel effectively captures all key disease pathways by measuring:
- Fasting glucose and HbA1c for diabetes assessment
- Lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides)
- Liver enzymes (ALT, AST)
- Urinalysis and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)
- Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)
This approach aligns with and advances the policy framework established through the WHO Kidney Health Resolution, WHO’s NCD Action Plan, the EU’s Healthier Together Initiative, and the December 2024 Council Conclusions.
The experts signing this document are committed to contributing to the development and implementation of EU Cardiovascular Health Action Plan.
We urge the European Commission (DG SANTE) and Public Health Committee (SANT) of the European Parliament to address cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic health holistically and adopt these recommendations.
We, the undersigned experts, call on professional medical societies in the fields of cardiology, internal medicine, nephrology, diabetology, and primary care, as well as patient organizations, non-governmental organizations, and individual patients across the EU, to endorse this letter and support its recommendations.
By signing this Statement of Support, you affirm your commitment to integrating biomarker screening into the EU Cardiovascular Health Action Plan to address the health and economic burden of cardiovascular diseases through prevention, early detection and screening, and equitable care.
Endorsement will be shared with the European Commission via the open Call for evidence by September 15, in order to demonstrate broad stakeholder support. Your signature strengthens our collective voice to shape a healthier Europe. Join us in advocating for comprehensive screening and early intervention to save lives and reduce healthcare costs.
Sincerely,
Prof. Dr. Ales Linhart (Head of the 2nd Department of internal cardiovascular medicine, General University Hospital in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University Prague, Czechia)
Prof. Dr. Michal Vrablik (Deputy Head of the 3rd Department of Internal Medicine,1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia)
Prof. Dr. Christoph Wanner (Department of Nephrology, Head of Department of Kidney and Hypertension diseases at the Medical Faculty of the University Hospital Würzburg, Germany)
Prof. Dr. Marcus Säemann (6th Med. Department with Nephrology & Dialysis, Clinic Ottakring, Vienna, Austria; Sigmund Freud University, Medical Faculty, Vienna, Austria)
Doc. dr.sci. Valerija Bralic Lang (Private Family Physician Office; Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia)
Prof. Dr. Anna Tomaszuk-Kazberuk (Head of the cardiology, lipidology and internal medicine at the OINK Medical University Bialystok, University Clinical Hospital in Bialystok, Poland)