Leading heart failure doctors from the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have united in a pledge to improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden of heart failure on society. A declaration has been signed by 36 National Heart Failure Societies, formalising the pledge.
“Preventing heart failure must be a strategic health priority in all countries,” said HFA president Gerasimos Filippatos. “The unanimous support for the declaration shows the widespread commitment of heart failure leaders to tackling heart failure.”
Heart failure leaders agreed to:
- Raise global awareness about heart failure and make it a universal health priority
- Promote prevention by encouraging healthy lifestyles
- Train health care professionals to achieve earlier diagnosis and intervention
- Expand the specialisation of heart failure amongst cardiologists and nurses
- Clarify the patient pathway for earlier detection and structured follow-up
- Support strategic and political initiatives to improve heart failure care at national level
The document was signed at the 5th National Heart Failure Societies’ Presidents’ Summit on 24 October in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The event was also attended by Slovenia’s deputy minister for health, Nina Pirnat.
“We need to have political backing for our campaign; this is essential to achieve the financial support and health policy legislation needed to implement strategies that address heart failure,” says Mitja Lainscak, coordinator of the declaration.
The statement supports the HFA’s Global Heart Failure Awareness Programme which seeks to engage politicians, regulators, health care professionals, patients and the public to improve awareness and prevention of the condition.
Lainscak says, “We know how to prevent heart failure, and how to improve the quality of life and survival chances of patients with heart failure. As the world’s largest heart failure organisation, the HFA will work with our partners to reduce unnecessary suffering and improve quality of life.”
