Fig. 1
Percent decrease in the number of deaths from coronary heart disease attributed to changes in treatment and risk factors in different populations. (Adapted from Di Chiara and Vanuzzo [13])
Global Targets for the Prevention and Control of CVD
The data presented here reinforce the importance of a new strategy for combating CVD, which will require a combination of cardiovascular prevention actions and earlier and more accurate diagnosis methods, as well as increased availability of effective treatments. The balance of these actions will result in significant reductions in the current epidemiological indices and also a change in future prospects.
During the World Health Assembly in 2012, the WHO initiated the campaign “Unite in the Fight against NCDs,” setting a global target to reduce premature mortality rates due to NCDs by 25 % by the year 2025 [15]. The campaign was based on well-defined principles and supported by all recent scientific evidence related to the prevention of NCDs. The pillars of this campaign are the following:
Accelerate tobacco control;
Reduce salt intake;
Implement appropriate treatment of high-risk CVD;
Reduce alcohol consumption;
Reduce physical inactivity.
The WHO has encouraged all countries to unite around this banner of cardiovascular disease prevention, proposing an alliance between the United Nations, governments, civil society, and private sectors.
The Letter from Rio de Janeiro
In line with the WHO proposal, the Brazilian Society of Cardiology (Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia—SBC) gathered a committee formed by the presidents of five of the most important cardiology societies in the world in 2013 in the city of Rio de Janeiro: the World Heart Federation, American Heart Association, European Society of Cardiology, Interamerican Society of Cardiology, and Brazilian Society of Cardiology. In conjunction with specialists in global cardiovascular prevention, a document was prepared containing targets for the prevention and control of NCDs [16]. The document, called the “Letter from Rio”, was ratified by the presidents of the participating societies and aims to provide an overall view of CVD and propose strategic actions to reduce the prevalence of the risk factors contributing to the high CVD mortality [17, 18]. The letter confirms the global target of a 25 % reduction in early mortality due to NCDs by the year 2025. The following are included in the resolutions contained in the Letter from Rio:
Work together in defense of global targets for achieving a 25 % reduction in mortality from NCDs by the year 2025;
Implement public policies for the prevention and control of NCDs in the general population and specific groups;
Act on social determinants that contribute to the occurrence of CVD through government policies;
Interact with health policy makers to develop cardiovascular prevention programs and methods for evaluating their results;
Mobilize the media to continuously disseminate information on the importance of CVD, its major risk factors, and means of prevention.
Targets from the Letter from Rio for the Prevention and Control of NCDs
25 % reduction in mortality rates from NCDs;
10 % reduction in the prevalence of physical inactivity among adults;
25 % reduction in the prevalence of hypertension (defined as a systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and a diastolic pressure ≥90 mmHg);
Reduction in the average intake of salt in the adult population to ≤5 g/day (2000 mg sodium);
30 % reduction in the prevalence of tobacco use;
15 % reduction in the intake of saturated fatty acids to achieve the recommended level of <10 % of the daily fat requirements;< div class='tao-gold-member'>Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue
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