Expanding team-based care for hypertension and cardiovascular risk management with HEARTS in the Americas.

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.