Spanish health experts call for enhanced cardiovascular prevention

Health experts in Spain are calling for a reinforcement of secondary cardiovascular prevention to reduce the risk of recurrent events in patients who have already suffered a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular episodes. During a session held at the Spanish Senate, organized by the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) and the Spanish Heart Foundation (FEC) in collaboration with Novartis, experts highlighted that surviving an acute episode does not eliminate long-term risk.

Data indicates that cardiovascular diseases are a major health challenge; in 2023, over 1.59 million people died from these diseases in Europe. In Spain, cardiovascular pathologies accounted for more than 25% of total deaths in 2025, with over 113,000 fatalities.

Additionally, a multidisciplinary consensus published in the journal Medicina de Familia-SEMERGEN suggests that vaccination should be integrated into comprehensive cardiovascular prevention, particularly for older adults. The experts argue that infections such as influenza, pneumococcal disease, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID-19, and herpes zoster can trigger inflammatory responses that increase cardiovascular risk or cause the decompensation of existing conditions.