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Berlin cardiac medical societies and the German Society for Internal Medicine (DGIM) support the planned Healthy Heart Act (GHG) together with patient representatives from the National Heart Alliance. Shortly before the first debate in the Bundestag, they made an appeal to politicians.
Despite high health spending, Germany ranks last in Western Europe when it comes to life expectancy – the life expectancy of Germans is 1.7 years below average. The main reason for this is the inadequate cardiovascular prevention, the organizations emphasized in advance of the first discussion of the bill in the Bundestag on November 6th.
The GHG aims to improve the alarming heart health situation in Germany. The companies are calling on members of the Bundestag to support the law and have presented a fact check.
The draft law provides, among other things, for easier prescription of statins for high-risk patients. This is also criticized by many doctors and experts.
Stephan Hofmeister, deputy chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), considers it absurd, for example, to administer statins to broad sections of the population, including children, using the justification given by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
These are medication with considerable side effects, said Hofmeister Krzlich in an interview. There is no evidence for this. Basically, it is a bankruptcy to give people statins.
The President of the Federal Medical Association (BK), Klaus Reinhardt, also considers the widespread use of statins to be problematic. Here the federal government intervenes in the established and legally regulated procedures of the Federal Joint Committee, which, based on evidence-based data and studies, evaluates when there is a claim to benefit for drug therapy and when not, he complained.
In addition, the draft fails to promote behavioral preventative measures to improve heart health and prevent cardiovascular diseases. This includes, for example, information and incentives for more exercise and a healthy diet in conjunction with coordinated care from family doctors and specialists.
This is not about expanding the indication, as is often misinterpreted by critics of the law. Rather, the undersupply that exists in Germany in both primary and secondary prevention should be addressed, emphasized representatives of the National Heart Alliance. At a cost of around 50 euros per year and proven effectiveness, this is a cost-effective primary prevention measure, they argued.
What is particularly worrying is the inadequate diagnosis of genetic diseases such as familial hypercholesterolmia. With a prevalence of around 1:200, it is one of the most common hereditary diseases.
In Germany, however, significantly less than FNF percent of those affected are diagnosed. It is hoped that a legal regulation for the early detection of this disease, especially in children, could help prevent heart attacks at a young age.
The societies emphasize that the GHG is a significant step towards improving the cardiovascular health of the population. What is crucial, however, is that this initiative results in a comprehensive national cardiovascular health strategy. This includes, among other things, ensuring that children grow up healthy. It is also important to fry the layreaneanimation.
The Healthy Heart Act is intended to strengthen the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in the population and reduce the number of cardiovascular diseases. Among other things, preventive examinations for children and young people as well as check-ups for adults aged 25, 35 and 50 are planned.
Invitations to check-ups should be accompanied by vouchers that can be used to obtain advice and blood pressure measurements as well as measurements of diabetes risk factors in pharmacies.
The prescription of statins is to be significantly expanded. The law also includes an expansion of drug therapy for smoking cessation: in the future, the insured person’s claim will no longer only be financed in the case of severe tobacco addiction, but also more frequently than every three years. © hil/nfs/aerzteblatt.de
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