HEARTS in the Americas: a global example of using critically validated automated blood pressure devices in cardiovascular disease prevention and management in primary health care settings

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of illness burden in the Americas, causing over 2 million deaths in 2017, a third of deaths overall for that year. While striking, CVD is threatening to have an even greater impact in the coming years based on the upward trend of the last decade [1]. Raised blood pressure (BP), a significant risk factor for the development of CVD, causes over 50% of ischemic heart disease and stroke events and 17% of total deaths globally [2]. The prevalence of hypertension (defined as SBP/DBP ≥140/90 mmHg or taking antihypertensive drugs) in Latin America and the Caribbean is 28% in women and 43% in men [3]. Thus, effective identification and treatment of hypertension is central to CVD prevention and decreasing CV morbidity and mortality [4].