Cardiovascular Screening: Results and Analysis of Behavioural Risk Factors in AULSS5 Polesana

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, in Europe, and in Italy. Their onset can be prevented through a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and abstention from smoking and alcohol consumption. The proactive cardiovascular screening program "Cardio50", provided for by the 2020-2025 Regional Prevention Plan of the Veneto Region, is positioned as a primary and secondary prevention intervention aimed at the early identification of modifiable risk factors in an apparently healthy population.

The study analysed the results of the "Cardio50" screening program conducted by the Prevention Department of AULSS 5 Polesana during the 2024-2025 two-year period on the cohort of subjects born in 1974-1975. Results were compared with data from the PASSI surveillance system relating to the same territory.

During the session of the cardiovascular screening, participants' lifestyle habits are investigated and anthropometric, blood pressure, and blood chemistry parameters are recorded, on the basis of which the software assigns a specific risk class (A, B1, B2, C, C1, D). Subjects in Class B2 are recalled for a six-month follow-up.

Out of 5481 potential participants, 2107 subjects (38.4%) took part, including 1109 women and 998 men. The distribution of risk classes showed a clear predominance of Class B2 (44.8%), followed by Class C (25.2%); overall, 85.2% of subjects required targeted interventions to address their risk factors. Six-month follow-up participation among subjects in Class B2 was 13.6%. Of the participants, 24.1% were smokers, 64.1% led a physically active lifestyle, 52.4% presented excess body weight and 12% consumed alcohol in a manner defined as higher-risk for health.

The clear predominance of subjects in Class B2, nearly one in two participants, highlights how a substantial proportion of the population exhibits at-risk behaviours despite the absence of overt clinical abnormalities, identifying a priority target for primary prevention. The low follow-up return rate represents a significant critical issue, as the sole initial detection of risk factors does not guarantee a genuine public health benefit without continuity of the preventive pathway. Comparison with PASSI showed consistency for smoking and excess body weight, a modest difference in physical activity levels and a discrepancy regarding alcohol consumption.

The study confirms the usefulness of the "Cardio50" program in the early detection of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, but highlights the need to strengthen patient retention strategies during follow-up, including through greater involvement of general practitioners and local healthcare networks, in order to transform screening into a genuine long-term cardiovascular prevention pathway through integrated care.