The European Commission has taken a significant step in tackling one of Europe's most urgent health challenges by launching the “Safe Hearts Plan”. Announced as part of the European Health Union, this innovative strategy is designed to combat the rising tide of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) across the European Union, which currently affect around 62 million people and cause 1.7 million deaths annually, also costing the EU over €282 billion every year due to lost productivity and economic output.

The plan is a strategic response to these challenges, aiming to reduce the impact of cardiovascular diseases through prevention, early detection, and enhanced treatment by 2035. In this sense, it focuses on reducing health inequalities, particularly for vulnerable population groups such as children, young people, and women, while offering an innovative, digital-first approach to cardiovascular health.

Objectives and Main Targets

The Safe Hearts Plan sets ambitious goals, aiming for a 25% reduction in premature cardiovascular deaths by 2035. Additionally, it seeks to ensure that a large majority of individuals aged 25 and older undergo regular screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Specifically, the targets include:

• 75% of people aged 25-64 and 90% of people aged 65 and older will have their blood pressure checked annually.
• 65% of people aged 25-64 and 80% of those aged 65 and older will have their cholesterol and blood sugar levels monitored each year.

The Three Pillars of Action

The plan is structured around three core pillars:

1. Prevention: it represents the most cost-effective way to tackle CVDs, and this pillar focuses on empowering citizens to make healthier choices. It includes initiatives to improve dietary habits, reduce smoking, encourage physical activity, and address environmental factors like pollution. The EU will also support member states in developing national cardiovascular health plans, with a focus on digital health tools and personalized prevention.
2. Early Detection and Screening: early diagnosis of conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol is crucial in preventing severe cardiovascular events. The Safe Hearts Plan will promote EU-wide health checks, mobile screening programs, and improved risk prediction tools, making screenings more accessible and integrated across member states.
3. Treatment and Care: ensuring that people living with CVDs receive high-quality, coordinated care is another critical aspect of the plan, and, moreover, this pillar includes measures to enhance treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care, with particular attention to integrating digital health tools and personalized medicine approaches. The plan also calls for the establishment of a European network of cardiovascular health centres to foster expertise and improve patient care.

Cross-Cutting Themes

Supporting these pillars are three cross-cutting themes that aim to strengthen the EU's overall strategy:

Digital Innovation: the EU will harness digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve diagnosis, treatment, and the management of CVDs, therefore these tools will help tailor care to individual needs, improving outcomes across the continent.

Research and Knowledge: the plan calls for increased investment in research to bridge gaps in understanding cardiovascular diseases and to promote innovations in prevention and treatment.

Tackling Inequalities: a major goal of the Safe Hearts Plan is to reduce the disparities in cardiovascular health outcomes across different EU regions and population groups. Indeed, special attention will be given to vulnerable populations, such as women, the elderly and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Consultation and Engagement

The development of the Safe Hearts Plan involved extensive consultation with Member States, stakeholders, and citizens. The Expert Group on Public Health (PHEG) played a pivotal role in discussing cardiovascular health challenges, particularly in relation to prevention, through dedicated meetings in 2025. Additionally, the EU Health Policy Platform held a series of webinars, including one that engaged young Europeans, whose perspectives helped shape the plan.

A call for evidence allowed stakeholders and citizens to contribute to the formulation of the plan, ensuring that it reflects the needs and concerns of all EU citizens. Furthermore, the plan also incorporates actions that empower young people to engage in cardiovascular health policies, including through the Thematic Network on Youth Engagement in NCD Prevention.

Challenges and Path Forward

The Safe Hearts Plan will not only improve public health but also strengthen the EU’s resilience and competitiveness by reducing the economic burden of cardiovascular diseases. By enhancing productivity and fostering health sector innovation, the plan aligns with President von der Leyen’s focus on prevention and early intervention to improve quality of life and life expectancy across Europe and, with a holistic approach, the plan aims to make prevention, early detection, and treatment more accessible and equitable for all.

However, challenges remain, as cardiovascular diseases are expected to rise by 90% by 2050, and current investment in prevention is insufficient. The Safe Hearts Plan addresses this by promoting collaboration across EU member states, healthcare professionals, and the research community, ensuring a sustainable path forward to reduce the human and economic impact of CVDs.