Diabetes, obesity and hypertension: an integrated digital model for treatment and prevention
The European Impact-Med project will develop and validate an innovative cardiometabolic care system supported by a connected digital ecosystem
The European Impact-Med project is taking off with the aim of revolutionising the management of cardiometabolic diseases through an integrated, multidisciplinary and patient-centred care model. Hypertension, diabetes, obesity with cardiovascular diseases such as ischaemic heart disease and heart failure represent a major challenge for healthcare systems. They cause mortality, hospitalisation and long-term disability with an impact of 4 million deaths per year and more than EUR 210 billion annual costs for cardiovascular diseases alone and significant impacts on the quality of life of patients and their families.
To combat these diseases with a high social and economic impact and to improve prevention, early diagnosis, continuity of care and personalisation of care throughout the patient's journey, Impact-Med will develop and validate an integrated cardiometabolic care model supported by a connected digital ecosystem, capable of combining artificial intelligence, remote monitoring, clinical and patient-generated data, advanced imaging, biomarkers, and interoperable platforms.
The European project financed by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) within the framework of Horizon Europe with a duration of 60 months (April 2026 - March 2031), has a total budget of EUR 22.9 million and is coordinated by the University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome and Medtronic Ibérica. The consortium brings together 26 partners from 13 European countries. The Impact-Med kick-off meeting, held at the University Campus Bio-Medico in Rome, was attended by representatives from academia, clinics, industry and patient organisations.
Towards more personalised and proactive medicine
"Impact-Med was born out of the conviction that the future of cardiometabolic care lies in integration: not only of technologies, but also of disciplines, data and perspectives," says Prof. Leandro Pecchia, Principal Investigator of the project at the University Campus Bio-Medico in Rome. "We want to show that precision medicine and person-centred care are not separate goals, but the same goal."
According to Jorge Posada, Head of Open Innovation and EU Project Management Office at Medtronic Ibérica, "public-private collaboration is crucial to transform technological innovation into a concrete and sustainable impact for patients and healthcare professionals."
