A cardiovascular screening programme conducted at Bial in partnership with the Portuguese Society of Cardiology (SPC) identified at least one previously unknown risk factor in 88 employees (43.8%).
The risk factors detected included LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) levels above the threshold appropriate for participants’ overall cardiovascular risk, among people without previously diagnosed dyslipidaemia; elevated HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) levels in people without a known diagnosis of diabetes; and obesity, measured by body mass index (BMI), in participants who had not previously identified it.
The initiative included a questionnaire for company employees to assess their health literacy, perception of cardiovascular risk and information needs. In parallel, screenings were conducted at Bial’s headquarters in Trofa and its Lisbon office, involving more than 200 employees, with an average age of 43. Of the participants, 64.6% were women. The assessment focused on several major cardiovascular risk factors, including cholesterol, blood glucose, abdominal circumference, blood pressure and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), measured using capillary blood samples.
“In a context where figures indicate that around one in three deaths worldwide is caused by cardiovascular disease, initiatives of this kind are essential. Beyond raising awareness of this reality, they reinforce the importance of prevention and adopting healthy lifestyles. We want to take care of people, both inside and outside Bial,” says Miguel Portela, Chief Corporate Officer at Bial.
Bial promotes the health and well-being of its employees through various initiatives. Among the most recent is the opening of a sports park featuring a gym and two padel courts. The facility, which represents an investment of approximately €750,000, marks another stage in the development of the Bial Campus and provides opportunities for physical activity while promoting well-being, social interaction and team spirit across the company.
In Portugal, 25.4% of deaths recorded in 2024 were attributed to diseases of the circulatory system, according to the National Statistics Institute.
