HEARTS will be the institutionalized model of care for cardiovascular risk management, with special emphasis on the control of hypertension and secondary prevention in primary health care in the Americas by 2025.

HEARTS special issue of the Pan American Journal of Public Health

Global HEARTS Initiative

Global Hearts is an initiative spearheaded by the World Health Organization involving various global actors, including the Centers for Disease Control and prevention of the United States (CDC) and the Initiative Resolve to Save Lives, among other global actors. The Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) leads the implementation of HEARTS in the Region of the Americas, ensuring that implementation actions are aligned with the strategic priorities of the region, particularly with the universal health coverage resolution, strengthening of health systems based on primary care and with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, specifically those related to the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCD)

HEARTS in the Americas

HEARTS in the Americas is an initiative of the countries, led by the Ministries of Health with the participation of local stakeholders with the technical cooperation of PAHO. The Initiative seeks to integrate seamlessly and progressively into already existing health delivery services to promote the adoption of global best practices in the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and improve the performance of the services through better control of high blood pressure and the promotion of secondary prevention with emphasis on the primary health care. HEARTS is being implemented and expanded in 33 countries of the Region to include 4,183 health centers across the Region implementing HEARTS, which together cover approximately 28.7 million adults in the respective catchment areas. the HEARTS model will be the model for cardiovascular disease risk management, including hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia in primary health care in the Americas by 2025.

Highlights

Webinar: Improving hypertension management, strengthening primary health care

In observance of World Hypertension Day 2023 - commemorated every May 17th, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), through the HEARTS in the Americas Initiative, organized a webinar on Thursday, May 18th, 2023. This webinar highlights the low hypertension awareness rate worldwide, promotes accurate blood pressure measurement methods, and underscores the importance of improving hypertension control to live longer and healthier.

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