Project background

European Health, Cardiovascular disease and Medical Devices: Health and health technology are top priorities for research in Europe, with the Framework 7 HEALTH Programme aiming to improve the health of European citizens and strengthen competitiveness of European health-related industry. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been identified as a priority in this context.

CVD is the main cause of illness and premature death in the EU, accounting for approximately 40% of deaths, with a combined direct and indirect economic cost of approximately 300 billion € per year. The European Medical Device Association (Eucomed) identifies the cardiovascular sector as a key impact area for medical devices in the coming years, citing interventional cardiology (including coronary angiography and stenting) and management of arrhythmia and stroke as prime exemplars of the significant contribution made by medical technology to patient care. Such innovations not only improve quality of life, but also relieve the economic burden of lengthy hospital stays. The EU medical device market was estimated to be 71 billion € (second largest after the US) in 2007 with a 9% increase predicted in 2008¹. Cardiovascular devices represent the leading EU single product segment (19%) and the sector is forecast to grow by around 25% over the next five years². A significant proportion of this market is accounted for by stents and mechanical heart valve prostheses.