Research shows that chronic stress at high-level positions increases the likelihood of a heart attack by 40%, even among individuals without other risk factors. High stress levels, combined with long working hours, irregular rest, and a lack of physical activity, place businesspeople, entrepreneurs, and managers among the critical risk groups for heart failure. As representatives of the business community, we carry not only a broader social responsibility but also a duty to contribute to public health and raise awareness about the importance of prevention.

This is why, when more than a year ago Dr. Tanja Angjusheva and Prof. Dr. Jorgo Kostov approached me with the idea that the Economic Chamber should support the establishment of a continuous education platform for cardiologists and medical staff on diagnosing and managing heart failure patients, I had no doubt that we should fully back the initiative.

This week, the idea comes to life. The team of the Macedonian Society of Cardiology is hosting a major educational event – the Master Course in Heart Failure, bringing together leading European cardiologists in Skopje. Organized in cooperation with the Zurich Heart House and the London Heart House, and endorsed by the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology, the event will gather top European and regional experts in the field. It represents both an opportunity to establish North Macedonia as a hub for heart failure expertise and a platform to actively raise public awareness among all stakeholders.

Keynote speakers will include Thomas F. Lüscher, one of the event’s program directors, Director of Research, Education and Development, and Consultant Cardiologist at the Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust, Professor of Cardiology at Imperial College London, and a leading figure in the European Society of Cardiology; as well as Marco Metra, President of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology, Full Professor of Cardiology in the Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health at the University of Brescia, and Director of the Institute of Cardiology at the Civil Hospital and University of Brescia.

Why is this important for business leaders? Returning to the opening point – we ourselves represent one of the critical risk groups for heart failure. For this reason, the Master Class will feature a dedicated workshop for the business community, where managers will have the chance to engage in discussions with Europe’s leading cardiologists and receive direct consultations on cardiovascular disease prevention. We are doing this not only for public health at large, but for the health of every single one of our companies. In business, prevention in health is the equivalent of predictability in decision-making – a vital component in the success of every company.