Pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim Hellas launched a global public awareness campaign in Greece urging people to recognise the early warning signs of cardiovascular disease.
The company presented the Recognise the SOS initiative to journalists at an event marking World Heart Day. The campaign highlights a simple urine test that can detect albuminuria, a condition where the protein albumin leaks into the urine.
The campaign encourages patients with hypertension and type two diabetes to ask their doctors for a uACR urine test. Medical experts warned that increased albumin is a silent but critical early indicator of combined heart and kidney risk.
Silent symptoms
Seven Greek medical societies are backing the initiative: the Hellenic Society of Nephrology, the Hellenic Cardiological Society, the Hellenic Society of Hypertension, the Hellenic Diabetes Association, the Hellenic Society of Internal Medicine, the Hellenic Primary Care Diabetes Network, and the Hellenic Atherosclerosis Society. It is also supported by patient organisations including ELODI, the Panhellenic Federation of Kidney Patients, POSSASDIA, and the Panhellenic Association of Heart Disease Patients.
The initiative begins on Tuesday, 29 September, and includes television and radio broadcasts, outdoor advertising, digital content, collaborations with digital creators, and events in pharmacies, alongside digital information points for patients and medical professionals.
At the launch event, journalist Katerina Panagopoulou led a discussion with Dimitris Anagnostakis, the president and chief executive of Boehringer Ingelheim Hellas. Anagnostakis said innovation only had a real impact when risks were identified early, adding that the campaign reflected the company's focus on prevention and early diagnosis. He also discussed the company's long history in the country and recent investments at its Koropi manufacturing plant, which he said strengthened Greece's international role within the corporate group.
Medical guidelines
Representatives from leading medical bodies used the event to stress the clinical link between the heart and the kidneys.
Evangelos Papachristou, president of the Hellenic Society of Nephrology, said chronic kidney disease was a significant health issue for the general public that typically progressed silently without symptoms. He said early screening was essential for high risk groups.
Konstantinos Toutouzas, president of the Hellenic Cardiological Society, said the heart and kidneys did not operate as independent systems. He said the presence of albumin in urine could be an early sign of increased cardiovascular and renal risk. He said testing albumin levels through the uACR ratio alongside general kidney function was important, noting that the European Society of Cardiology published new guidelines in August 2026. Those guidelines emphasise the early identification of kidney disease in cardiovascular patients through combined eGFR and albuminuria screening.
Target organ protection
Konstantinos Tsioufis, president of the Hellenic Society of Hypertension, said hypertension was not merely synonymous with high blood pressure readings. He said real treatment meant reducing total cardiovascular risk by protecting target organs. He said modern treatments aimed to protect a patient's overall health rather than simply reaching a target blood pressure figure.
Konstantinos Makrilakis, president of the Hellenic Diabetes Association, said it was no longer sufficient for diabetes patients to only monitor their blood sugar and glycated haemoglobin levels. He said both patients and doctors needed to know the status of heart and kidney health, adding that eGFR and uACR checks must become a systematic part of regular screening for people with the condition.
The campaign's central message warns patients not to ignore their kidneys when they send a distress signal for their heart. Organisers hope the initiative will turn early detection into early medical action, ultimately reducing cardiovascular disease across the country.
