"EU ACTION ON CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE WELCOME"

12.22.47pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 13th Jul 2007

Cardiovascular disease needs to be addressed head-on if it is to stop causing nearly half of all deaths across Europe, according to West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne.

Speaking from Strasbourg, Liz, Vice President of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee and Co-chair of the European Parliament's Intergroup on Ageing, said:

"It is astounding that in this day and age one disease can be responsible for so many deaths and has too long been neglected as a health priority."

"My parliamentary colleagues yesterday adopted a resolution which should help to save lives in the future, by fostering greater European cooperation to combat this disease."

"Britain has one of the worst records for heart disease deaths in Western Europe so I hope the UK government will now take notice and act on the recommendations given."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The resolution calls for, amongst other things, an EU-wide database on prevalence, mortality etc from cardiovascular disease in Member States; new national guidelines and initiatives to promote well-being and better and more sharing of information and experience. It also calls for promotion of European funding sources available for screening and prevention.

Cardiovascular disease causes nearly half of all deaths, 42%, in the EU

Cardiovascular disease is the second main cause of disease burden (illness and death) in the EU, amounting to 18%.

The total cost of cardiovascular disease amounts to € 169 billion in the EU, of which € 105 billion is spent on treating the disease in the EU and € 64 billion is due to lost productivity and the cost of informal care.