According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, between 1990 and 2017, Italy experienced a more attenuate reduction in cardiovascular deaths than Western Europe. When considering risk factors, our Country experienced a reduction in the prevalence of hypertension in the last few decades, especially in women. On the other hand, the prevalence of obesity, abdominal obesity and hypercholesterolemia in Italy is on the rise. Likewise, the control of total blood cholesterol is not revealing favorable time changes and sedentary lifestyle remains highly prevalent especially among women. A negative relationship between long-term exposure to the economic crisis and cardiovascular diseases was observed and the association between cardiovascular risk and socioeconomic status is now clearly evident. It is, therefore, necessary to specifically target the efforts towards the weakest sections of the population so that prevention policies can offer their maximum benefit. The study is part of a series of manuscripts promoted by SIMI with the collaboration of the National Internal Medicine Societies of some Mediterranean countries (Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt). The goal was to highlight the health needs related to the growth of metabolic diseases in the area. The observed changes bring the two coasts of the Mediterranean closer together. It is time to work together to build more effective strategies for identifying and reaching population subgroups that have still remained little sensitive to prevention and specially to lifestyles changes.
Keywords: Cardiovascular risk; High blood pressure; Mediterranean area; Physical inactivity; Prevention; Socioeconomic status.