​Half of the deaths in Romania are caused by cardiovascular diseases, and in 2021 one person in four will be on the register of family doctors with cardiovascular diseases, reports the National Institute of Public Health on the occasion of the World Heart. The day is celebrated every year around the world on September 29.

“Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 silent killer worldwide, killing an estimated 17.9 million people every year, meaning 2,000 people die every hour from heart disease. In our country, half of the deaths are caused by cardiovascular diseases, and in 2021, every fourth person will be on the register of family doctors with cardiovascular diseases,” the National Institute of Public Health reports, citing Agerpres.

Although cardiovascular disease is a public health problem due to mortality and morbidity, cardiovascular disease is largely preventable. It is estimated that approximately 28% of deaths from coronary heart disease in our country could be prevented.

Experts say that some risk factors for cardiovascular diseases cannot be changed (age, genetic factors), but most of them can be changed, including smoking, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and dyslipidemia (disorders of lipid levels in the blood).

In addition, high blood pressure is a cardiovascular disease, which in turn is a risk factor for other cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, a condition that shares risk factors with cardiovascular disease and, in turn, is a risk factor for these diseases.

Among the measures that can be taken to maintain a healthy heart and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases: regular physical exercises, maintaining a balanced diet, not smoking, not drinking alcohol, and regular preventive medical examinations.

The National Institute of Public Health, together with the Romanian Society of Cardiology, the Romanian Association for Health Promotion, the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Timisoara, the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Tirgu Mures and the Coalition of Organizations of Patients with Chronic Diseases in Romania, is implementing one of the most important projects aimed at to identify and control risk factors for cardiovascular diseases – “Everything for the heart – Screening program for identifying patients with risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.”

Within the framework of this project, a technique for screening cardiovascular risk factors was developed, doctors were trained in screening, consultations, laboratory analyzes were conducted, and personalized recommendations were provided to patients who underwent the screening program. As of September 25, 2023, 14,2773 people used the screening services within the project.