EU Health Warning: Várhelyi Says 80% of Cardiovascular Cases Could Be Prevented

European Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi used the launch of EU Screening Week in Milan to call for a fundamental shift in European healthcare — from treating disease after it develops to preventing it much earlier. His message was simple: Know your blood pressure. Know your blood sugar. Know your cholesterol. Várhelyi warned that cardiovascular disease remains the single biggest cause of death in the European Union, claiming around 1.7 million lives every year. Around 62 million Europeans are living with cardiovascular disease. But he stressed that many cases can be prevented. “80% of these cases, including premature death, could be prevented.” Várhelyi warned that many cardiovascular risks remain silent for years. People can feel healthy, go to work and live normally while high blood pressure, diabetes or other conditions develop without being detected. “These risks are killing slowly our population.” He argued that Europe’s healthcare model is coming under enormous pressure as non-communicable diseases increase and populations age. “We will not be able to treat double the number of people from the same resources.” His answer is prevention. The EU’s Safe Hearts Plan aims to make cardiovascular screening a routine part of healthcare and give prevention the same attention as treatment. Várhelyi said Europeans aged between 35 and 60 should benefit from regular cardiovascular checks, including major screening approximately every five years. He also raised concerns about younger generations. Várhelyi pointed to rising obesity, type 2 diabetes, physical inactivity and excessive screen time among children and adolescents. He warned that without action, Europe could face an entire generation developing serious health conditions within the next 10 to 15 years. The Commissioner also called attention to vaping, e-cigarettes and new nicotine products, saying their use among people under 25 is significantly higher than among the wider population. At the same time, he highlighted the potential of wearable devices, artificial intelligence and European health data to transform prevention. EU Screening Week is designed to take health checks directly to citizens — in pharmacies,…