Hand aufs Herz

“Hand Aufs Herz” is a large-scale preventive health initiative led by the LMU Munich’s Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine. It focuses on assessing cardiovascular and lifestyle-related risk factors among children and adolescents, aiming to create one of the most comprehensive datasets on early cardiovascular health profiles in this age group, generating evidence of need of comprehensive cardiovascular health check-ups for school children, and in the long-term contribute it preventing these diseases or aiding in early diagnosis. 

• To identify cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, congenital heart defects, arrhythmias, and markers of early metabolic disorders.
• To explore lifestyle and behavioral contributors such as diet, physical activity, media use, and substance consumption.
• To establish a robust database that can guide early interventions and inform future prevention programs to curb cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence in youth.

This project is conducted across schools in greater Munich area, with a mobile medical team performing on-site standardized assessments. Procedures include physical exams, ECG, echocardiography, blood tests, fitness and stress testing. Data is securely stored in a REDCap database at LMU. Participation involves informed consent from both parents and students.

A cross-sectional observational study with an intended sample size of approximately 10,000 participants aged 4–20 years. It employs multi-modal data collection: validated questionnaires, clinical and functional assessments, and laboratory analyses. Multiple interim analyses using quantitative methods will identify associations and risk patterns.

The project is supported by the Nicolas May Foundation, established in memory of Nicolas May, whose early death highlighted the need for cardiovascular prevention in children. Additional institutional support comes from LMU Munich.