EVA Bridge: Enhanced Coordination
Daiichi Sankyo Launches EVA Bridge to Enhance Post-Heart Attack Patient Care
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Daiichi Sankyo has launched EVA Bridge, a new care coordination model designed to keep heart attack patients from falling through the cracks after leaving the hospital. The model, backed by two major Spanish health bodies — SECA and SEDISA — creates a structured 12-to-15-month follow-up bridge between hospital Cardiology units and Primary Care, according to Diario de Mallorca.
The stakes are high. Cardiovascular disease kills more Spaniards than cancer, causing 27.2% of all deaths in Spain. Yet roughly 73% of high-risk cardiac patients never reach their LDL cholesterol targets. And a staggering 67% of patients stop taking their medication within the first year after a heart attack, according to IM Médico.
Spain's Cardiac Care Has a Broken Link
After a heart attack, patients in Spain move from specialist hospital care to their local GP. That handoff often fails. Doctors call it "fragmentation" — a gap where no one takes clear ownership of the patient's recovery. Cardiovascular disease costs the Spanish health system €8.415 billion every year, equal to 0.7% of GDP, according to El Periódico de Aragón.
Experts say fixing even part of this gap would have a major impact. Improving medication adherence by just 10% could prevent 8,700 deaths per year and save €75 million annually for the health system, according to La Opinión de Murcia.
Eight Hospitals Pilot a 15-Month Follow-Up Protocol
EVA Bridge launched officially on June 15, 2026 in Madrid. Eight reference hospitals across Spain are now running the pilot. They include Bellvitge University Hospital in Catalonia, Cruces University Hospital in the Basque Country, Son Llàtzer in the Balearic Islands, and General Hospital of Valencia, among others. The active pilot phase runs through September 2027, according to El Correo Gallego.
The model gives each patient a structured follow-up schedule lasting up to 15 months — far longer than standard post-infarction care. It uses digital tools to keep cardiologists and GPs connected in real time. Raquel Coca, Head of Specialties at Daiichi Sankyo, said the goal is to offer patients "agile and homogeneous" responses at every step of their recovery.
Medical Societies Sign On, But Primary Care Raises Concerns
SECA and SEDISA gave the model their formal backing. Víctor Reyes Alcázar, President of SECA, said EVA Bridge is built on "indicators and decision-making based on evidence." José Soto Bonel, President of SEDISA, called for eliminating "silos between levels of care" and praised the model's use of digital tools, according to La Opinión de A Coruña.
Not everyone is celebrating. The SESPAS 2026 report flags that GPs and nurses already face heavy workloads and administrative pressure. Critics warn that adding a 15-month industry-led protocol — without new staff or resources — may simply overload an already stretched Primary Care system. Some academics also flag a risk of "commercial drift" when pharmaceutical companies design clinical care routes, according to La Nueva España.
Real-World Data Points to a Viable Path Forward
EVA Bridge arrives with early momentum. On June 4, 2026 — just days before the launch — real-world data from the MILOS study showed that new drug treatments can triple the number of patients reaching their LDL cholesterol targets. LDL is the "bad" cholesterol that narrows arteries and drives heart attacks, according to Diario de Ibiza.
If the model works, Daiichi Sankyo says it could serve as a blueprint for managing other chronic diseases in Spain — shifting the system's focus from expensive emergency treatment to affordable long-term prevention. The real test will come when the pilot data arrives in late 2027, according to El Periódico Extremadura.
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