The HEARTS app: a clinical tool for cardiovascular risk and hypertension management in primary health care

Abstract

HEARTS in the Americas is the regional adaptation of the World Health Organization’s Global Hearts Initiative, which will be the model for risk management for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in primary health care in the Region of the Americas by 2025. It has already been implemented in 21 countries and 1045 primary health care centers throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. It takes a public health and health systems approach to systematically introduce simplified interventions at the primary health care level and focuses on hypertension as a clinical entry point. This paper introduces a new, improved application (app), the main component of which is the calculator for CVD risk and hypertension management. The paper summarizes the risk assessment approach and the methodology used by the World Health Organization to update its cardiovascular risk charts in 2019; describes the app, its use, functionality and validation process; and provides a set of practical recommendations for optimizing CVD risk and hypertension management by using the app in clinical practice. The HEARTS app is a powerful tool to improve the quality of care provided in primary health settings. The creation and dissemination of the HEARTS app is an essential step in the journey towards eliminating preventable CVD in the Americas.

HEARTS in the Americas: innovations for improving hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk management in primary care

“…In order to make the new treatment algorithms user-friendly, HEARTS in the Americas developed a software application (app) ( https://www.paho.org/en/hearts-americas/cardiovascular-risk-calculator-app ). The app includes: the 2019 WHO CVD risk charts ( 29 ) adapted by HEARTS in the Americas for use as an online calculator; the standardized hypertension treatment algorithm defined by each implementing country; a short video describing how to obtain accurate blood pressure measurement; and recommendations for optimizing CVD risk assessment for primary and secondary prevention and modifying CVD risk through pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions ( 30 ). As of June 2022, more than 110 000 health care providers are using the HEARTS application.…”

HEARTS in the Americas appraisal checklist and clinical pathway for comprehensive hypertension management in primary care

“…Step A advises a standardized technique for blood pressure measurement, includes a broad screening strategy, and recommends using automated and clinically validated blood pressure measuring devices for accurate blood pressure measurement ( 16 , 17 ). Step B encourages the healthcare team to use the HEARTS app to estimate CVD risk in all patients, but not delay the initiation of treatment if needed, and stratify them according to their CVD risk level to select the best clinical approach ( 18 ). Finally, step C is the heart of the clinical pathway.…”

Concerning “The HEARTS app: a clinical tool for cardiovascular risk and hypertension management in primary health care”

“…We read with interest the article entitled “The HEARTS app: a clinical tool for cardiovascular risk and hypertension management in primary health care” by Ordunez and colleagues, published on March 28 th , 2022 ( 1 ). This article describes a recently developed app to assess cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, as well as its use, potential functionality, and validation process.…”