The EUROCISS project was set up in 2000 by a partnership of European Union (EU) countries financed by the European Commission within the Health Monitoring Programme (HMP) with the aim of developing health indicators and recommendations for monitoring the burden and distribution of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Europe. Given the huge socio-economic costs of CVD, the availability of comparable data is essential to assess the health status and set research and health care priorities.

During the first phase (between 2000 and 2003), the EUROCISS Project gathered experts from 14 countries in six international meetings, produced an inventory of indicators and available information sources in participating countries and set out recommendations.

The main objectives of the first phase were:

• to prioritize CVD of importance in public health. The selection was based on two criteria: high prevalence of disease in terms of mortality, morbidity and disability and the possibility of prevention, in terms of modifiable risk factors. Therefore CVD included in the project were: ischaemic heart disease (acute myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, angina pectoris and other coronary diseases); heart failure, cerebrovascular accidents (ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke). At present, there are still little available data on CVD morbidity at European level
• to identify specific indicators for assessing CVD mortality and morbidity and ensuing disability. The specific indicators were divided into: health status indicators, health determinants and health service indicators. Indicators must be available according to age, gender and socio-economic status
• to develop recommendations for collection and analysis of data for monitoring CVD in EU countries. The indicators were selected after an in-depth discussion among experts, on the basis of the available data. Some indicators can be produced in a short time, while others need a long period of time to be implemented and then validated. In the latter case it is necessary to train health operators and expert epidemiologists in the different countries.

At the end of the first phase of the Project, a final report was developed. You may consult the whole version of the Report 2003 (pdf 1,8 Mb) or its single parts.