Portuguese cardiology associations recall that cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in Portugal, although at least 80% of premature deaths from these diseases are preventable.

The Portuguese Cardiology Foundation points out that many early deaths could be prevented by controlling the four main risk factors: smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise and alcohol consumption.

More than half of the adult population is overweight, 40% have high blood pressuren, 30% have very high cholesterol and a quarter of the population smokes, according to figures from the Portuguese Cardiology Society.

Along with strokes and heart attacks, the Portuguese Society of Cardiology notes that heart failure is one of the diseases that needs to be addressed.

Nearly half a million Portuguese suffer from heart failure, a problem that the Society believes should become a national priority.

The Directorate-General for Health on Friday is due to present a report on the National Programme for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Diseases and the pilot project on complementary cardiology diagnostic tests in primary health care.