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Despite the decline of heart disease mortality in the past 30 years, CVD remains the leading cause of death in Europe. Worryingly, recent projections indicate that major CVD risk factors – tobacco, alcohol, poor diet, and physical inactivity, obesity and diabetes - as well as the ageing of the population will lead to an increase in CVD prevalence over the next 20 years under status-quo prevention and treatment trends.

•   Each year CVD causes over 4 million deaths in Europe and 1.9 million deaths in the European Union.
•   Overall CVD is estimated to cost the EU economy almost €196 billion a year. Of the total cost of CVD in the EU, around 54% is due to health care costs, 24% due to productivity losses and 22% due to the informal care of people with CVD.
•   Smoking has declined in many European countries, but the rate of decline is now slow and rates remain stable or are increasing in some countries.
•   Levels of obesity remain high across Europe in both adults and children.
•   The prevalence of diabetes in Europe has increased rapidly over the last ten years, increasing by more than 50% in many countries.

The Members of the European Parliament (MEP) Heart Group is a forum which provides MEPs with an opportunity to generate dialogue, outreach and activities at EU and Member State level. It is made up of MEPs who have an interest in promoting measures that will help reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in Europe and raise CVD as a priority on the EU political agenda.

CVD is the main cause of death and disability in Europe. In response to this, the European Heart Network (EHN) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) are committed to identifying specific areas of policies and public health interventions which can contribute to preventing avoidable deaths and disabilities from CVD.

The Secretariat of the MEP Heart Group is managed by the European Heart Network and the European Society of Cardiology.

Follow @MEPHeartGroup on twitter for regular activity updates!