[Trends and contexts in European cardiology practice for the next 15 years. The Madrid Declaration: a report from the European Conference on the Future of Cardiology, Madrid, 2-3 June 2006].

In the near future, the practice of the cardiology in Europe will be strongly influenced by a complex interplay of epidemiological, social, economical, professional, and technological evolving factors. The present report summarizes the conclusions of an expert conference organized by the European Society of Cardiology to discuss the interactions between these phenomena, in an attempt to foresee the potential scenario in which cardiovascular healthcare and research will develop in the near future, and to anticipate solutions to the identified problems.