-Automatic translation

This initiative is part of JACARDI (Joint Action: Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes), a European collaboration aimed at reducing the impact of these diseases on individuals and healthcare systems. Eighteen countries are participating in JACARDI, implementing 142 projects centred on innovations in prevention, data collection, screening, treatment, self-care, and workforce participation.

Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are both prevalent health concerns in Iceland. In 2016, an estimated seven per cent of Icelanders had diabetes, and a recent study shows that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes doubled in nearly all age groups between 2005 and 2018. This rise is partly linked to a significant increase in average body weight in Iceland over the same period, as high body weight is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Cardiovascular diseases account for about a quarter of all deaths in Iceland. However, mortality rates have declined in recent decades due to improved treatments and positive lifestyle changes. There are signs, though, that this progress is slowing, partly due to an ageing population and lifestyle shifts, as reflected in the rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes.

Currently, Iceland lacks a centralized national registry for cardiovascular diseases, though a registry tracking heart attacks among individuals aged 25 to 74 has been in place since 1981. The Coronary Event Register is overseen by the Directorate of Health and operated by the Icelandic Heart Association. Similarly, there is no central national registry for diabetes, although a 2018 report from a Ministry of Health working group strongly recommended establishing one.

The creation of these national registries will enable better monitoring of disease trends and risk factors in Iceland. It will also facilitate comparisons with other European countries, inform policy development and project prioritization, and support scientific research in the field.

Representatives from the Directorate of Health, the Development Centre for Icelandic Primary Health Care, the University Hospital, the Icelandic Heart Association, and the University of Iceland are coordinating the project. Currently in its early stages, the initiative is set for completion in 2027. The Directorate of Health has secured a grant of approximately 340,000 euros through JACARDI, funded by the European Commission under the European Health Programme (EU4Health).

Further information
Urður Ýrr Brynjólfsdóttir, Project Manager
urdur.brynjolfsdottir@landlaeknir.is