Adolescent health and future cardiovascular disability: it’s never too early to think about prevention

Major improvements in medical treatments over the past half century have resulted in more people than ever surviving with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite these successes, however, CVD remains not only the world’s largest cause of premature mortality, but also a major cause of chronic disability affect many living with the disease. With estimated costs for this disability burden predicted to account for over €190million a year in the EU alone, it is clear that a focus on population-level prevention strategies – rather than attempts to simply cure end-stage disease – are essential if the increases in longevity and quality-of-life achieved in recent decades are to be maintained.