Health Checks for Structural Heart Disease
Health Checks Protocols for SHD in the EU – April 2026
Summary
An estimated 14 million Europeans live with structural heart disease, a number expected to rise to 20 million, and hospitalisations for SHD have doubled in the last 20 years. SHD is hard to prevent through lifestyle and is mainly found through health checks, so systematic early detection is essential.
The report reviews past and current SHD detection initiatives across EU countries, including PREVASC in Italy (30% of participants with mild or moderate valve pathologies), the San Marino Heart Health Screening (84% participation), the NHS England aortic stenosis pathway and the NIHR AI stethoscope trial, HerzCheck in Germany, and pilots in Spain and France.
It concludes that detection approaches should be adapted to local conditions and that dedicated funding is needed so that screening stays accessible, scalable and sustainable.
Our recommendations
Test and increase early detection of SHD
Detection approaches should be adapted to local conditions, such as the age of the population, the structure of the health system and the roles of health professionals.
Dedicated funding for early detection
Dedicated funding for early detection is needed so that screening stays accessible, scalable and sustainable.
Build on existing structures
Screening can reuse cancer screening databases, coordination structures and the primary care network of GPs and cardiologists, with sufficient diagnostic capacity and a specialist workforce.