Virtual debate with Spanish policymakers on the role of the heart

On 19 October the Spanish Confederation of Elderly Organisations (CEOMA), organised a virtual event with policymakers and experts to discuss the role of the heart to ensure active and healthy ageing.

The major impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosing and treating cardiac conditions was a central topic of the discussions, in light of recent data which demonstrates the high vulnerability of elderly groups with heart conditions such as structural heart disease. Interruptions in both treatment and diagnosis of these conditions have sparked a considerable concern among healthcare professionals, since early detection and management of these patients is key to prevent the increasing rates of functional decline in our societies.

Mrs. Rosa Romero, the President of the Health Committee of the Congress of Deputies of Spain, recognized the need for urgent and long-lasting solutions to avoid prevent the “double vulnerability” of the elderly, given the decrease in diagnosing heart conditions. Mrs. Romero emphasized that the efficient management of heart conditions can lead to better social and healthcare sustainability.

Alongside Romero, Mrs. Elvira Velasco, MP and Mrs. Esther Carmona, Senator, put the focus on the upcoming Cardiovascular Disease Strategy of the National Healthcare System in Spain, which is expected to cover the main conditions associated with ageing by including specific measurements, objectives, and metrics, as explained by Mrs. Sonia Peláez, the Technical Coordinator of the Strategy in the Ministry of Health.

The event was also attended by Dr Clara Bonanad, President of the Spanish Cardiology Society’s Geriatric Cardiology Section (SEC), Dr. Fernando Hornero, President of the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery (SECCE), geriatricians Dr. José Augusto García Navarro, President of the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SEGG) and Dr. José Manuel Ribera Casado, cardiologist and promoter of the SEC’s Geriatric Cardiology Section, as well as Mrs. Cecilia Salvador, President of the patient association AEPOVAC.

More information here.