The Czech government has approved a new National Cardiovascular Plan designed to reduce the incidence of the country’s leading cause of death – heart and vascular diseases – through better prevention and care.

The Czech National Cardiovascular Plan, approved by the government on 11 December, sets out objectives for 2023–2033. It aims to modernise prevention, improve care pathways, and more effectively address risk factors.

“Czech acute cardiology care is among the absolute world leaders, and this plan will take it even further,” said Czech Health Minister Vlastimil Válek (TOP 09, EPP) after government approval of the plan.

“However, the Czech problem is the large number of patients, which is related to the poor health of the population and prevention. That is why the cardiovascular plan puts an absolute emphasis on preventive measures, prevention programmes, etc.,” the minister added.

Czechia is the third EU member state, following Spain and Poland, to adopt such a targeted strategic document recently.

Primary prevention

One of the central pillars of the plan is bolstering primary prevention, which targets the general population. In practice, this means intensifying screening efforts, modernising preventative check-ups to detect cardiovascular diseases or risk factors, and improving public awareness about healthy lifestyles.

“We have historically well-established preventive check-ups, but some measures are outdated,” Kristýna Čillíková from the Czech Alliance for Cardiovascular Diseases (ČAKO), a leading patient organisation, told Euractiv.

“General practitioners have already created a new system of preventive check-ups, which should be implemented next year and will significantly improve efficiency,” Čillíková explained.

The new system of preventive check-ups should also include some tests that have not been routinely performed so far, such as lipoprotein(a) levels. Kidney function tests should also be improved to catch kidney disorders earlier.

A major focus of ČAKO for the upcoming year is launching a newborn screening program for familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic disorder that affects about one in 250 Europeans and can lead to premature heart attacks if left undetected.

According to Čillíková, Czechia is relatively advanced in planning to test newborns. “It could launch as early as next year under the National Cardiovascular Plan,” she said. By identifying high-risk patients sooner and directing them toward relevant prevention, experts hope to reduce the number of people requiring acute interventions later in life.

Preventive efforts will also hinge on broader health education, especially among children, to encourage healthy eating, regular physical activity, and routine check-ups.

Advocates of the plan stress that such measures can drastically lower the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

Secondary prevention

While the Czech healthcare system consistently scores well in acute cardiology, secondary prevention remains a weak link. This form of prevention addresses individuals who already show risk factors or have experienced a cardiovascular incident, such as a heart attack.

“Cardiovascular health in the Czech population is in quite a dismal state, and it is the main cause of mortality,” said Čillíková. “The problem is the capacity of our outpatient cardiology network—there are too few cardiologists, and the wait times are too long, which is unacceptable,” she urged.

Čillíková sees the cardiovascular plan as a roadmap to tackle these gaps, particularly in regions with limited medical resources. The plan calls for closer cooperation between general practitioners and cardiologists and recommends expanding prescription options for GPs to handle milder cases.

“Complex patients should be treated by specialists who can provide the full range of care without delays,” she explained. “Cardiologists should be rewarded for choosing to handle more complex cases instead of leaving them to GPs,” Čillíková added.

To make this feasible, the plan envisions a revamped insurance framework that acknowledges the greater cost – and higher stakes – of treating high-risk or post-event cardiovascular patients.

Looking ahead

The full realisation of the National Cardiovascular Plan hinges on multi-ministerial cooperation and the establishment of a working group dedicated to its implementation.

“Everyone feels that the Czech healthcare system is starting to run out of steam a little, and many things are not functioning as they should,” Čillíková remarked.

However, Čillíková cautions that political will and adequate budgeting will be pivotal. She pointed to the country’s previous National Oncology Plan – which, despite a sound design, was not fully realised in practice – as a cautionary tale. “We want to avoid the fate of the previous Oncology Plan,” Čillíková said.

European efforts

On 3 December, EU health ministers unanimously adopted Council Conclusions on improving cardiovascular health across the bloc, signalling a strong political commitment to address what many consider Europe’s biggest health threat.

During the meeting, Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi announced that the European Commission will develop a new European Cardiovascular Health Plan – similar to Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan – to secure EU-wide funding, promote investment in research, and expand registries to enhance patient care. The Czech health ministry noted that the forthcoming EU action plan aligns well with the Czech one.

Čillíková also hopes the forthcoming European Cardiovascular Plan will offer broader guidance and possibly shared funding for key priorities like widespread screening and education.

[Edited by Vasiliki Angouridi, Brian Maguire]

Source: Euractiv.com