Promoting Cardiovascular Health in the Developing World

Promoting Cardiovascular Health in the Developing World: A Critical Challenge to Achieve Global Health

Released:

March 22, 2010

Type:

Consensus Report

Topics:

Diseases, Global Health, Public Health

Activity:

Preventing the Global Epidemic of Cardiovascular Disease: Meeting the Challenges in Developing Countries

Board:

Board on Global Health

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), once thought to be confined primarily to industrialized nations, has emerged as a major health threat in developing countries. Cardiovascular disease now accounts for nearly 30 percent of deaths in low and middle income countries each year, and is accompanied by significant economic repercussions. Yet most governments, global health institutions, and development agencies have largely overlooked CVD as they have invested in health in developing countries. Recognizing the gap between the compelling evidence of the global CVD burden and the investment needed to prevent and control CVD, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) turned to the IOM for advice on how to catalyze change.

In this report, the IOM recommends that the NHLBI, development agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and governments work toward two essential goals:

• creating environments that promote heart healthy lifestyle choices and help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and
• building public health infrastructure and health systems with the capacity to implement programs that will effectively detect and reduce risk and manage CVD./.../