A new approach to prevention – taking action sooner

Through DIKAP, Germany’s largest prevention study, Magdeburg University Hospital is developing a digital care model designed to prevent cardiovascular diseases, which could pave the way for its integration into standard care in the future.

This is not an isolated case: for years, a man lived with significantly elevated blood pressure readings of 170 mmHg. Although his blood pressure was measured time and again, nothing changed: no treatment, no lifestyle changes. His risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack was extremely high. Researchers at Magdeburg University Hospital encounter such cases time and again. They demonstrate that many cardiovascular diseases need to be detected and treated much earlier. In the ERDF-funded research project ‘Digital Cardiovascular Prevention" (DIKAP)’, an interdisciplinary team is therefore investigating the potential of digital prevention. At the heart of the project is what is currently the largest study on the telemedical prevention of cardiovascular diseases in Germany.

When risks go
unnoticed for a long time There are several reasons why Saxony-Anhalt is particularly well-suited as a research location for this. Cardiovascular diseases are among the greatest health challenges here. Compared with the national average, the population is older, and risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking and a lack of physical activity are more prevalent than in other federal states. The result is higher rates of heart attacks, strokes and heart failure, as well as the lowest life expectancy in the country. At the same time, Saxony-Anhalt is particularly affected by demographic change and could become a model region for new healthcare models. With a Central German Centre for Vascular Health, Magdeburg University Hospital aims to develop many new approaches to prevention in future, which could have an impact far beyond Saxony-Anhalt.

The benefits of effective prevention of high blood pressure alone are considerable: “Up to 80 per cent of all cardiovascular diseases could be prevented if we consistently treat risk factors and detect vascular ageing early",” says Prof. Dr Rüdiger Braun-Dullaeus, Director of the University Clinic for Cardiology and Angiology. This is crucial because the condition often begins to develop unnoticed. As blood vessels age, the risk of serious cardiovascular diseases rises continuously. However, the consequences often only become apparent once permanent damage has already occurred. “The problem with high blood pressure is that it doesn’t hurt at first. There’s a lack of sensitivity. You don’t pay as much attention to it as you do to pain,” explains Dr Patrick Müller, a junior doctor at the University Clinic for Cardiology and Angiology at Magdeburg University Hospital and head of the DIKAP study. Many patients are not adequately managed, even though high blood pressure is one of the most significant preventable risk factors of all.

DIKAP did not originate on the drawing board, but grew out of everyday clinical practice. Time and again, doctors encounter people whose heart attack or stroke could probably have been prevented. Added to this is a problem with healthcare provision: there is a shortage of GPs, particularly in rural areas. Regular check-ups and close-knit care are often difficult to implement there. “We want to bring about a paradigm shift,” says Dr Patrick Müller. “Complex medical treatment often only kicks in once the damage has already been done. It is far more effective to bring treatment forward – to the stage where high blood pressure develops and risk factors can still be influenced." This is where DIKAP comes in. Since May 2025, the research team has been conducting a study to investigate how heart attacks and strokes can be prevented through digital support – rather than only taking action once serious illnesses have already set in.

Prevention becomes part of everyday life
180 people from Saxony-Anhalt with high blood pressure and at least one other risk factor are taking part in the twelve-month study. At the start and end of the study, they will undergo comprehensive examinations – ranging from cardiac and vascular diagnostics and MRI scans to blood tests. In between, a digital care programme supports the participants’ daily lives. Blood pressure, weight, physical activity and medication are recorded via a telemedicine platform and regularly analysed. This is supplemented by digital training sessions and telemedicine consultations with doctors and prevention support staff. Motivation also plays an important role: a smartwatch helps participants to incorporate more exercise into their daily lives. “We don’t just want to optimise blood pressure, but to improve all risk factors collectively,” explains Dr Müller. Which measures can actually be implemented is tailored individually to the participants’ real-life circumstances. Initial findings from the study are promising. Two participants underwent necessary bypass surgery in good time thanks to incidental findings. “This shows how important it is to assess the actual condition of the vascular system at an early stage,” says the study leader. Many participants are also losing weight, exercising more, changing their habits and thereby reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease. At the same time, their blood pressure is improving.

From research to standard clinical practice
One figure illustrates just how important this can be for those affected: even a reduction in systolic blood pressure of ten mmHg can cut the risk of a heart attack or stroke by up to 30 per cent. Prof. Dr Rüdiger Braun-Dullaeus says: “This isn’t magic. It can be achieved through a few adjustments and preventive measures. They just need to be in place.” The Magdeburg researchers are therefore moving into the fast lane and aim to become pioneers: “We want to be the first to bring telemedicine into prevention.” With the scientific evidence from DIKAP, telemedical prevention programmes could in future become a service covered by health insurance funds – similar to what is already the case today for the care of patients with heart failure.

At the same time, the research team is already thinking one step ahead. Artificial intelligence techniques could help to analyse data from wearables and tailor treatments even more individually. An AI expert is collaborating on the project for this purpose. All study data is expected to be available by the end of 2027. If the scientific evidence is successful, DIKAP could herald a new chapter in healthcare – with telemedical prevention that begins long before people become seriously ill.