Cardiovascular Disease in Complex Emergencies: A Neglected Burden and Evidence on Public Health Interventions From a...

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading global cause of mortality but remain underaddressed in complex emergencies where health responses focus on infectious diseases and acute care. This scoping review mapped public health interventions addressing cardiovascular disease in complex emergencies and identified intervention types, epidemiological findings, and research gaps.

We conducted a scoping review of studies published between 2014 and April 2024, identified through PubMed, the Directory of Open Access Journals, ReliefWeb, and Google Scholar. Eligible studies examined cardiovascular prevention, management, or outcomes in crisis-affected populations.

Thirty-one studies were included, most published in the past 5 years. Evidence primarily focused on hypertension, with interventions targeting primary prevention, including risk factor control, workforce training, and health system constraints, as well as secondary prevention, such as screening, early diagnosis, treatment, and continuity of care. Evidence on coronary artery disease and tertiary prevention, including cardiovascular rehabilitation, was limited. Common barriers included disrupted continuity of care, population displacement, attacks on health services, undertrained staff, medication interruptions, and inadequate funding during complex emergencies. The WHO Noncommunicable Diseases Kit showed mixed effectiveness depending on contextual adaptation and health system capacity.

Addressing cardiovascular disease in complex emergencies requires strengthened primary care platforms and health care access.