Liječnički vjesnik, Vol. 146 No. 9-10, 2024.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.26800/LV-146-9-10-6
Effective strategies and a ten-point plan for cardio-kidney-metabolic health in Croatia. An expert opinion
Željko Reiner
Bojan Jelaković
Davor Miličić
Marija Bubaš
Ines Balint
Nikolina Bašić Jukić
Valerija Bralić Lang
Vili Beroš
Silvija Canecki Vražić
Krunoslav Capak
Verica Kralj
Ana Ljubas
Branko Malojčić
Viktor Peršić
Ivana Portolan Pajić
Dario Rahelić
Alen Ružić
Tomislav Sokol
Ana Soldo
Ivan Pećin
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, including in Croatia. Since most patients have multiple disorders and diseases caused largely by the same risk factors, and as it is essential to approach each patient as a person with all disorders, today we are talking about a new paradigm – cardio-renal-metabolic (CRM) syndrome and cardio-renal-metabolic health, which necessarily includes brain health. Elevated systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, smoking, obesity, diabetes, impaired renal function or chronic kidney disease, which all stem from insufficient physical activity, unhealthy diet with excessive intake of table salt, and air pollution, are the leading causes of overall morbidity and mortality from CRM diseases, especially mortality from CVD. Experts from various fields key to CRM health have written this document with the
aim of integrating it as part of the national plan for the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases with a focus on CVD, which should become mandatory and be based on the existing guidelines of professional societies. The importance of timely screening and diagnosis has been emphasized, but there is also a focus on the necessity of organizing and implementing measures for primordial and primary prevention. The significance of a multidisciplinary approach and continuous education of the general population and patients to change bad lifestyle habits and increase medication adherence has been highlighted, as well as improving health literacy among healthcare workers, especially doctors, to reduce clinical inertia.
Keywords
NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES – epidemiology, prevention and control; CHRONIC DISEASE; CARDIO-RENAL SYNDROME – epidemiology, prevention and control; CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES – epidemiology, mortality, prevention and control; HEART DISEASE RISK FACTORS; HYPERTENSION; HYPERLIPIDEMIAS; CHOLESTEROL, LDL; DIABETES MELLITUS; RENAL INSUFFICIENCY, CHRONIC; PRIMARY PREVENTION; SODIUM CHLORIDE, DIETARY; NATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAMS; CROATIA – epidemiology
Hrčak ID:
322410
URI
Publication date:
18.11.2024.
Visits: 112 *