President Milanović Meets with Delegation from the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences: Cardiovascular Disease is the Leading Cause of Death in Croatia
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović today received a delegation attending the 12th European Section Meeting of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, which is being held in Zagreb from 25 to 27 October under his patronage.
The international scientific conference brings together leading Croatian and international scientists, cardiologists, clinicians and researchers to exchange the latest findings in cardiovascular medicine. According to representatives of the organizers, it is one of the largest conferences of its kind ever held in Croatia. The conference is jointly organized by the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health at Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, the Zagreb-based Srčana Polyclinic for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases and Rehabilitation, the European Section of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, and the Working Group on e-Cardiology of the Croatian Cardiac Society.
Members of the delegation thanked President Milanović for his patronage, emphasizing the importance of support from state institutions for scientific and professional conferences of this kind. During the meeting, they discussed the key objectives of this year’s conference and the challenges of combating heart disease. Cardiovascular disease poses a significant public health burden in Croatia. According to data from the Croatian Institute of Public Health, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the country. In 2024, a total of 20,341 people died from cardiovascular disease, accounting for 39.8 percent of all deaths. Croatia’s cardiovascular mortality rate thus remains above the European Union average.
The delegation attending the 12th European Section Meeting of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences included the Conference’s Honorary President, Prof. Naranjan S. Dhalla, Ph. D.; Conference Director, Prof. Goran Krstačić, Ph. D.; Conference Co-Director, Assoc. Prof. Antonija Krstačić, Ph. D.; President of the European Section of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences and Conference Co-Director, Prof. Vladimir Jakovljević, Ph. D.; and Prof. Ranko Škrbić, Ph. D.
President Milanović was accompanied by Jadranka Žarković, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education, and Neven Pelicarić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Foreign and European Policy.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek