80% of cardiovascular diseases are preventable, yet these conditions remain the leading cause of death and disability worldwide and in Italy. Therefore, on the cardiovascular front, the challenge is not merely about living longer, but about living longer in good health, intervening before the disease appears.
This is the starting point of the Italian Heart Foundation-ETS (FIPC) message for World Heart Day, September 29, 2026: “For a healthy heart… prevention first!” The call aligns with Safe Hearts Plan, the European Union’s first comprehensive strategy dedicated to cardiovascular health, published in December 2025. FIPC invites people to know their risk, address modifiable factors, adopt heart-healthy lifestyles, undergo checks, screenings and vaccinations, and adhere to prescribed therapies.
«For years we have invested heavily in our ability to diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases, achieving extraordinary results. Today we must invest with the same determination in promoting health, – stresses Emanuela Folco, president of the Italian Heart Foundation-ETS. – That means knowing your risk and acting on modifiable factors, placing trust in your primary physicians. Prevention is not a cost, but the best possible investment for people and for the sustainability of our healthcare system».
Safe Hearts Plan: EU goals for prevention and early detection
The Safe Hearts Plan marks a significant milestone for cardiovascular health in Europe: for the first time the European Union has an overarching strategy dedicated to prevention, early diagnosis, screening, treatment, and care of cardiovascular diseases.
The plan must be adopted by every Member State by 2027. The objective is to cut premature mortality under age 70 by 25% by 2035 and to raise by 2027 the coverage for diagnosis and control of hypertension and dyslipidemias to 70% of the adult population and 90% among older age groups.
For FIPC, the European plan confirms prevention as the primary tool of social protection. «FIPC has always supported, and today more than ever, predictive, proactive and participatory medicine», comments Cristina Meneghin, Director of Scientific Communication and coordinator of FIPC’s Scientific Committee. Health promotion starts with daily choices, schools and workplaces, participation in screenings, and healthy behaviors.
FIPC also reiterates the role of vaccinations in cardiovascular protection. The Safe Hearts Plan reminds us that, beyond protecting against infections, vaccinations are recognized by the scientific community as tools for primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention.
Cardiovascular risk factors: conventional and non-conventional
To turn prevention into concrete actions, FIPC has produced a leaflet on modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. Conventional factors include hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, smoking, obesity and overweight, responsible for more than 50% of cardiovascular diseases and 20% of mortality. Non-conventional factors include poor therapeutic adherence, poor oral hygiene, physical inactivity, environmental pollutants, excessive use of electronic devices, psychosocial stress, and lack of positive social relationships.
A specific focus concerns women: mortality from cardio-cerebrovascular causes reaches 33%, compared with 28% in men and 23% from cancer-related causes.
World Heart Day: screenings and local outreach
September 29 kicks off on-the-ground awareness activities. The Italian Heart Foundation-ETS, together with the Giovanni Lorenzini Foundation and Conacuore (National Coordination of Heart Associations), promote citizen-oriented initiatives and distribute the new pamphlet, with guidance to discuss with one’s doctor and the pharmacist of reference.
From September to October, free screenings, informational meetings, and distribution of educational materials with practical tips for cardiovascular health are planned.
«Piazzas are a valuable opportunity to talk directly with citizens and make prevention more approachable and understandable, – concludes Giuseppe Ciancamerla, president of Conacuore. – Our goal is to help people understand their own risk factors, including those that are less well known, and to clearly grasp what they can do to reduce them».
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