The Hellenic Cardiological Society has called on Greek authorities to establish a national strategy to prevent and manage sudden cardiac death following recent medical incidents.
The proposed strategy sets out a six-pillar action plan that brings together state bodies, medical specialists, patient associations, and civic groups to expand emergency resuscitation training and improve early diagnostic screening.
Cardiac arrest incidents take place daily across Greece, occurring in major urban centers as well as in remote rural locations and island tourist destinations. The medical society highlighted that the likelihood of a physician being present next to a patient during the first critical minutes of a cardiac arrest remains very limited.
Because immediate intervention is vital, trained citizens can act as a crucial link in keeping a patient alive until specialized medical help arrives on the scene. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, commonly known as CPR, is an emergency procedure that combines chest compressions and artificial ventilation to maintain blood flow and oxygenation to the brain and vital organs during cardiac arrest.
Bystander CPR and emergency response
The Hellenic Cardiological Society said that training as many citizens as possible in CPR is a top clear priority for the organization. For the past 20 years, the society has worked in partnership with the European Resuscitation Council to train and certify healthcare professionals and ordinary citizens in resuscitation techniques.
Founded in 1989, the European Resuscitation Council serves as an umbrella network that establishes standardized resuscitation guidelines and educational programs across Europe. The Greek medical society stressed that emergency life support skills cannot remain the exclusive knowledge of healthcare professionals and must become part of daily public culture.
Existing Greek legislation and sports screening
Greece has already introduced legislative measures aimed at improving emergency preparedness and cardiovascular health. Under Law 4809/2021, CPR training was made mandatory for all sports coaches across the country. More recently, Law 5239/2025 mandated CPR training for staff members working at commercial companies that employ more than 50 workers.
Preventive health checks for athletes have also been enforced for several years. Since 2017, Greek regulations have required mandatory pre-competition medical screening, including an electrocardiogram test, alongside the issuance of an official Athlete's Health Card. An electrocardiogram, or ECG, is a non-invasive diagnostic test that records the electrical activity of the heart to detect underlying arrhythmias or structural heart conditions.
Six pillars of the national strategy
The Hellenic Cardiological Society stated that existing preventive actions must be further reinforced through a comprehensive national strategy structured around six interconnected pillars:
- Prevention across all age groups: Strengthening primary cardiology care and expanding preventive screening, including pre-competition evaluations where indicated.
- CPR and defibrillator training: Systematically educating the public in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the prompt operation of Automated External Defibrillators. Portable defibrillators are computerized medical devices that analyze heart rhythms and deliver electric shocks to restore normal cardiac activity during lethal arrhythmias.
- Identification of high-risk groups: Providing targeted medical attention for families with a history of sudden death or inherited cardiac conditions, as well as patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease, myocarditis, or other conditions requiring specialist evaluation.
- Modern medical science: Utilizing family medical histories more effectively and providing access to genetic testing and genetic counseling where clinically indicated, in coordination with specialized medical centers.
- Interconnection of health services: Establishing close coordination between primary cardiology services and specialized tertiary hospital centers, supported by continuous training for healthcare professionals.
- Societal alliance: Building steady coordination between the cardiology society, patient groups, families, sports federations, educational institutions, and public authorities.
Integration of medical services and public alliance
The Hellenic Cardiological Society called on the Greek government and all competent institutional bodies to enter into immediate and meaningful dialogue to construct the national strategy. The society emphasized that modern scientific data and technological capabilities should be utilized to the fullest extent possible.
According to the medical association, no single agency or institution can resolve the challenge of sudden cardiac death on its own. Addressing the issue requires an organized, continuous chain of prevention and medical care, stretching from public education and primary screening to specialized tertiary hospital centers and advanced diagnostic treatments.
The Hellenic Cardiological Society, established in Athens in 1948, is the principal professional organization for cardiologists in Greece. It focuses on advancing cardiovascular medicine, promoting medical research, and shaping national public health policies to reduce cardiovascular mortality.
