Cardiovascular laws differ among countries: EU
POSTED September 26, 2009 - 15:00 | POSTED BY Jaspreet Kaur
Last edited by Harpreet Bhagrath on September 26, 2009 - 22:50
European Union (EU) experts said that prominent disparities can be easily seen between countries in terms of cardiovascular disease’s (CVD) occurrence as well as national prevention policies. These experts also believe that EU should gear up to deal with heart diseases and stroke.
The new details have been put forward for the World Heart Day that falls on Sept. 27.
The Director of the European Heart Network, Susanne Logstrup, said, “World Heart Day is a prompt to all that there is no room for complacency when it comes to CVD prevention.”
Through this message, the researchers are trying to make people aware of the fact that 80 percent of premature deaths that occur due to heart disease and stroke can be avoided.
Laws relating to heart disease differ among countries
The research stresses that within different countries there is too much of a difference in the laws and regulations pertaining to CHD prevention policies.
For instance, almost every country has some law that covers public health, tobacco control and food. However, Denmark and Greece do not have in place any national policy that talks precisely about coronary heart disease.
Also, countries like Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy and Slovenia have five policies that are related to cardiovascular health promotion, CHD, hypertension, stroke and hyperlipidaemia. On the other hand, Greece has only one such policy in place.
The research also highlights the fact that only France, Germany, and Ireland have put forth certain recommendations for emergency first-aid — cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Only these countries have proper training and access to the use of external defibrillators.
MEP Heart Group to work towards promoting heart health
Dirk Sterckx, Belgian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and co-chair of the MEP Heart Group, was quoted as saying, “Nobody can deny that cardiovascular diseases present a very heavy burden in all EU member states. On the occasion of the World Heart Day, I strongly invite my fellow MEPs to make a statement in favour of heart health by joining the MEP Heart Group.”
Professor Roberto Ferrari, president of the European Society of Cardiology, called upon “the newly elected MEPs to take up the baton – the European Parliament resolution of 12 July 2007 on action to tackle cardiovascular disease – reminding the European Commission of the need for a concrete European strategy on prevention of cardiovascular diseases.”
