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Published on: September 26, 2018
Expanding team-based care for hypertension and cardiovascular risk management with HEARTS in the Americas
Vilma Irazola1, Carolina Prado1, Andres Rosende2
1Department of Research in Chronic Diseases Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS) Buenos Aires Argentina Department of Research in Chronic Diseases, Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Insights
Team-based care improves blood pressure control and quality of life for hypertension patients in the Americas. A policy framework is proposed to overcome barriers and scale this effective primary health care model.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Cardiology
- Health Policy
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death globally, with hypertension as a primary modifiable risk factor.
- Hypertension affects over 30% of adults in Latin America and the Caribbean, but control rates are low.
- The HEARTS in the Americas Initiative promotes team-based care in primary health to manage hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality globally, with hypertension as their main modifiable risk factor. In Latin America and the Caribbean, hypertension affects more than 30% of adults, yet control rates remain alarmingly low. The HEARTS in the Americas Initiative, led by the Pan American Health Organization, promotes a model of team-based care to enhance risk management for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases within primary health care. Team-based care leverages the skills of diverse health professionals, including nurses, pharmacists and community health workers, to optimize resource allocation, task-sharing and care delivery. Evidence underscores the effectiveness of team-based care in improving blood pressure control, reducing hospitalizations and enhancing quality of life through strategies such as periodic follow up and medication titration. Despite its benefits, implementing team-based care faces cultural and systemic barriers. This special report outlines a policy framework to scale team-based care across the Region of the Americas, ensuring equitable access to high-quality, cost-effective prevention and care for cardiovascular diseases.
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