PR91988

GENEVA, Sept. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

-  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains world's biggest killer, claiming 18.6

million lives per year

On World Heart Day, 29 September 2021, the World Heart Federation (WHF) is

calling on the international community to bring digital cardiovascular health

services to millions worldwide. COVID-19 has seen an explosion in telemedicine,

with a 40%(1) jump in the world's richest countries. WHF believes this digital

transformation presents a pivotal opportunity for millions living with

cardiovascular disease from lower-income backgrounds who have little access to

in-person consultation.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1637810/World_Heart.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1280905/World_Heart_Federation_Logo.jpg

CVD claims the lives of 18.6 million people per year and the 520 million people

living with CVD have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

WHF is calling for equity across healthcare and for the rapid development of

digital care to reduce inequalities by transforming the diagnosis, prevention

and management of CVD in lower- and middle-income settings.

Currently only 20%(2) of the population in lower-income countries is online.

WHF is calling for operators to fund and develop the infrastructure to reach

disconnected hearts everywhere; governments to prioritise digital

infrastructure and heart health in policy; industry to keep prices of tech

affordable; and telecoms service providers to collaborate with them to bring

digital medicine to some of the world's poorest communities across the globe.

"Never before have we seen such a 'techceleration' in cardiology," says Fausto

Pinto, President of the World Heart Federation.  "This is a once in a lifetime

opportunity to transform the lives of millions of people who are left behind in

healthcare today. We should use digital health to scale up and speed up

prevention efforts and save lives and millions spent on care."

From online consultations to simple Electrocardiograms (ECGs), blood pressure

monitoring and virtual surgery, the web has opened new possibilities to make

cardiovascular care accessible to millions. As with all rapid digital

transformation, there are challenges. For healthcare, top concerns include data

privacy, technology compatibility and the need for human contact. According to

WHF, co-designing programmes with patients will also be critical.

World Heart Day is supported by leading pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca,

Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly Alliance.

The general public is encouraged to get involved in World Heart Day by joining

the conversation across social platforms using the hashtags #UseHeart and

#WorldHeartDay.

Notes to Editors

1. Media Contact: Borjana Pervan, Communications Director, World Heart

   Federation

   Borjana.pervan@worldheart.org  

2. Interviews: bios and headshots spokespeople can be found here    (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/msfjwr9q840y2d1/AABjkBqNfsM31oo-bM4G0HVma?dl=0 ).

   Please contact Aline Bochenek-Benoit, Campaign Manager, World Heart

   Federation aline.bochenek-benoit@worldheart.org or +41228070325.

3. Link to images: Dropbox    (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7gzqetazmraj1zf/AADjIIQzPX9GbXEuAQ-zaJ_4a?dl=0 )

4. Sources:

     1. McKinsey

https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/telehealth-use-stabilizing-at-38-times-pre-covid-19-levels-mckinsey-says/603153/

     2. https://www.undp.org/blogs/evolving-digital-divide

SOURCE  World Heart Federation