PAHO releases toolkit to enhance management of cardiovascular risk and hypertension in the Americas – PAHO/WHO

In the region, around a third of people with hypertension have it under control

Washington, DC, January 31, 2024 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently published HEARTS in the Americas: Compendium of essential clinical tools 2023a collection of resources intended to help healthcare teams improve the management of cardiovascular risk conditions and hypertension in primary healthcare settings across the region.

The compendium provides tools to facilitate accurate blood pressure measurement, diagnosis of hypertension, initiation or adjustment of treatment, as well as evaluation of cardiovascular complications. The tools are designed to be easy to use and understand and are available in both English and Spanish.

Hypertension is the main risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the main cause of death in the Americas according to PAHO data. Currently, it is estimated that only 36% of adults with hypertension in the region have their blood pressure under control. Increasing this figure to 50% could help prevent around 400,000 deaths related to ischemic heart and cerebrovascular diseases.

«Effective management of hypertension and cardiovascular risk is key to preventing or delaying serious health problems, including premature deaths from heart attacks, strokes, chronic kidney diseases, complications of diabetes and dementia,» said Pedro Ordúñez, advisor to PAHO cardiovascular diseases. «This compendium is a valuable tool that can empower healthcare teams to improve hypertension control and save lives,» he added.

The compendium is part of the implementation of the HEARTS initiative in the Americas, a global strategy of the World Health Organization (WHO). PAHO has been promoting this strategy in the region since 2016 to help countries improve cardiovascular health. To date, 33 countries in the region and more than 4,000 primary health care units have committed to the implementation of HEARTS, and PAHO has developed various technical resources to support these efforts.

A review of HEARTS in the Americas article, published in December in the journal Current Hypertension Reports, highlights the role of health systems (especially primary care) in improving cardiovascular health and controlling hypertension. The analysis highlights encouraging results from HEARTS implementation, demonstrating an increase in hypertension control coverage compared to conventional methods. The article concludes that HEARTS is a promising initiative with the potential to alleviate the burden of non-communicable diseases in the region.