European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology
EADV
The advancement of excellence in clinical care, research, education and training in the fields of Dermatology and Venereology.
ID: 238986995132-56
Lobbying Activity
Response to EU cardiovascular health plan
1 Sept 2025
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in Europe. As efforts intensify to strengthen CVD prevention, detection, and intervention, it is essential that any effective cardiovascular strategy includes a clear focus on chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Chronic skin diseases - such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, acne, rosacea, and inflammatory vessel diseases - affect over 40% of Europeans, across all ages. These are long-term, relapsing conditions with significant psychological, social and economic consequences. People living with skin diseases often face stigma, mental health issues and reduced productivity, all of which contribute to a substantial societal burden. Growing scientific evidence demonstrates that chronic inflammatory skin diseases are associated with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This is largely due to shared underlying mechanisms of systemic inflammation. Moreover, comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes and obesity both major CVD risk factors are frequently observed in patients with chronic skin conditions. Crucially, early and effective treatment of inflammatory skin diseases has been shown to reduce the risk of developing CVD and related comorbidities. However, despite the availability of highly effective and safe treatments, patients often face significant delays in access to care due to economic or social barriers. These delays can exacerbate both the skin conditions and its associated comorbidities, including CVD. For this reason, the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology calls on the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan to: - Acknowledge the impact of chronic inflammatory skin diseases on cardiovascular health. - Promote early diagnosis and timely treatment of inflammatory skin diseases to improve cardiovascular outcomes and reduce the risk of developing serious metabolic comorbidities. - Improve access to specialised dermatology services and effective treatments to better manage skin and cardiovascular diseases in a coordinated way. Incorporating these recommendations into the EU CV Plan will strengthen CVD prevention in Europe, reduce the burden of chronic skin diseases, and improve the lives of over 180 million people across the region.
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