To reduce the onset of cardiovascular disease (CVD), it is crucial to identify those persons at high risk of developing CVD, and to provide them with appropriate advice and preventive treatment.

Digital innovation in health can improve diagnosis, cardiovascular patients’ care, treatment and management.

The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is greater than that of any other disease and the leading cause of death in Europe and in the world.

Physical activity is an effective way to protect your heart.  It is never too late to start and any exercise is better than none – though more is better.

The role and impact of electronic cigarettes continues to provoke a major public health debate in Europe and beyond.  This updated EHN paper focuses on the effects of e-cigarette use on the cardiovascular system. It also presents information on trends in use of e-cigarettes, as well as marketing and regulation.  Furthermore, it discusses the distinction between absolute and relative risk.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death in Europe as well as in the European Union (EU), where it is responsible for 3.9 and 1.8 million deaths respectively every year. CVD mortality is falling in most European countries. However, declining death rates do not go hand in hand with declining morbidity. The number of CVD patients remains at a very high level; in the EU alone, almost 49 million people live with cardiovascular disease.

Within CVD, heart failure is a condition, which is common but neither widely known nor simple. The main causes of heart failure are coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.

Despite considerable progress in tackling cardiovascular disease (CVD), it remains the leading cause of death and a major cause of illness and disability for men and women in Europe. Dietary risks are responsible for around half of the death and disability caused by CVD and may cost the economy of the European Union economy €102 billion a year.

For the EHN paper 'Transforming European food and drink policies for cardiovascular health' expert reviews were performed on the following topics: dietary sugar, fats, salt, agriculture and food supply, food and environment, food promotion and trade and food.

In July 2017 EHN published a paper on Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Diseases.  The aim of this paper is to provide information about the impact of air pollution on cardiovascular health; when we refer to air pollution, this is outdoor air pollution unless otherwise indicated.  The paper presents recommendations to policy makers for action to reduce exposure to this risk factor.

Scientists use animals to learn more about health problems that affect both humans and animals, and to assure the safety of new drugs and medical treatments.  Some diseases can only be studied in a living organism and it is not always possible or ethical to use humans.