Safe Hearts in Europe: Policymakers and experts call for concrete action on sudden cardiac death

On 1 July 2026, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), with the support of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), brought together policymakers, clinicians and patient advocates at the European Parliament to discuss how Europe can better prevent sudden cardiac death and improve survival from cardiac arrest.

Hosted by MEP Michalis Hadjipantela (EPP, Cyprus) and opened with a video message from the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, the event highlighted the stark inequalities that continue to exist across Europe. Around 250,000 people die from sudden cardiac death each year, while survival rates after cardiac arrest can vary dramatically depending on where people live.

Speakers stressed that these disparities are not inevitable and that effective solutions already exist. Discussions centred on the need for a coordinated European approach built around two complementary priorities: preventing sudden cardiac death before it occurs and ensuring communities are prepared to respond effectively when cardiac arrest happens.

To prevent sudden cardiac death, participants emphasised the importance of identifying people and families at risk through early recognition of warning signs, timely referral to specialist care and access to family screening programmes. To improve survival from cardiac arrest, speakers highlighted the need for widespread CPR training, greater availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and stronger systems for measuring outcomes and monitoring progress.

Prof. Elena Arbelo, Chair of EHRA’s Advocacy, Quality Improvement and Health Economics Committee, called for a collaborative European response to address inequalities in cardiovascular health, highlighting family screening as an important opportunity for prevention.

Several speakers underlined the role of policy in driving change. MEP Romana Jerković (S&D, Croatia) stressed that legislation alone is not enough and called for the development of national cardiovascular health plans supported by incentives and funding opportunities such as the EU4Health programme. Prof. Serge Boveda, EHRA President-Elect, advocated for stronger political commitment, public education initiatives and the establishment of an official EU Arrhythmia Day.

Examples from Cyprus demonstrated how coordinated action at national level can contribute to better outcomes. Dr Kyriakos Yiangou, President of the Cyprus Society of Cardiology, and Dr Christos Eftychiou, Director of the Cardiology Department at Nicosia General Hospital, presented progress made through efforts combining screening programmes, community readiness for cardiac arrest and clinical coordination. Dr Christina Kousparou, Associate Professor of Immunology at European University Cyprus, outlined how Cyprus could serve as a pilot country for registries and integrated data collection initiatives.

The patient perspective was brought to the forefront by Françoise Steinbach from the ESC Patient Forum, who shared her experience as a survivor of sudden cardiac arrest. Her intervention highlighted the importance of raising awareness and strengthening prevention efforts in schools, workplaces and communities.

Dr Petros Agathangelou, President of the Cyprus Medical Association, raised the question of how sudden cardiac death prevention can be translated into action at national level, calling for broader societal engagement to improve awareness, health literacy and prevention.

Closing the event, Dr Nikola Kozhuharov, member of EHRA’s Advocacy, Quality Improvement and Health Economics Committee, called for the implementation of a European minimum package of measures to prevent sudden cardiac death and improve outcomes from cardiac arrest across all Member States.

The discussions highlighted a shared message: reducing preventable deaths from sudden cardiac death is achievable. With growing political attention to cardiovascular health and the policy recommendations set out in the Safe Hearts Plan for Europe, participants agreed that the focus must now shift from identifying solutions to implementing them consistently across Europe so that no one's chance of survival depends on their postcode.