The term Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) encompasses a series of diseases such as coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease and congestive heart failure, among others. CVD is of enormous importance and constitutes a health priority, given its high morbidity and mortality, the degree of disability it causes and the high socioeconomic costs it entails. Even in 2023, with more than 3 million deaths, CVD constituted the leading cause of mortality in the European Union and in Spain, although it was the second leading cause of death in 2023 - surpassed by just 0.1% by oncological pathology - it rebounded again in the first six months of
2024 as the leading cause.
CVD is an area of intense basic and applied research aimed at its prevention, diagnosis and treatment. CVD is generally linked to the combination of several risk factors, some of them closely linked to modifiable lifestyle habits (diet, exercise, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia) and others that are not modifiable.
CVD is treated in all health care settings, with fragmentation in the continuity of care, little homogeneity in follow-up, and much variability in management and treatment. In addition, most patients with CVD are chronic multipathological patients, with polypharmacy and the inherent problems.
On the other hand, the various scientific societies involved are rapidly publishing Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) that require interdisciplinarity for their efficient application. In this regard, the plethora of new drugs available requires continuous professional updating to optimize their use in terms of efficacy and safety. Issues such as: access and financing, scope of dispensing or visas, therapeutic complexity, fragility, adherence, etc., constitute an unavoidable opportunity for pharmaceutical intervention.
In short, the SEFH CARDIO Working Group was created with the aim of improving cardiovascular health by adding value in the different areas of action. The prevention and treatment of CVD presents us with the bioethical duty to apply scientific evidence, promote interdisciplinary and interlevel coordination, empower patients and measure health outcomes.
Our values include specialized training, process innovation, dynamism and proactivity in our actions. And always from a constructive dialogue with all professionals, institutions, societies and other agents involved in the care of patients with cardiovascular pathology.
