Top Things to Know: The American Heart Association’s Call to Action for Reducing the Global Burden of Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Addressing rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in the U.S. was among AHA’s foundational missions and greatest successes.
- RHD remains a significant, persistent global health problem affecting nearly 40 million people and accounting for nearly 300,000 deaths annually.
- In 2018, the World Health Assembly (decision making body of the World Health Organization) passed a global RHD resolution that calls for a coordinated global response.
- In this statement, the American Heart Association renews its commitment to serve as a global champion and leader in RHD care and prevention.
- The AHA commits to support 5 key areas: (1) development and dissemination of professional healthcare worker education, (2) provision of technical support for implementation of evidence-based strategies for RF/RHD prevention, (3) facilitation of access to essential medications, (4) supporting research to advance innovative solutions, and (5) advocacy for global RHD awareness.
- Five priority areas for immediate action are: (1) Increase the availability and uptake of benzathine penicillin G (BPG), (2) Support the development of a Strep A Vaccine, (3) Support and enhance primary and secondary prevention, (4) Strengthen tertiary care for patients living with RHD, and (5) Strengthen primordial prevention.
- We call on people living with or at risk for RHD to be RHD champions in their communities and to advocate locally, nationally, and globally for RHD control.
- We call on AHA members to be aware and raise awareness of RHD and to improve our understanding of RHD among high-risk US populations.
- We call on WHO member states to act on the 2018 Global RHD resolution and implement national RHD control programs.
- We call on the global health community to give RHD attention and funding proportional to the disease burden and to support research, clinical capacity building, and advocacy efforts.
Citation
Beaton A, Kamalembo FB, Dale J, Kado JH, Karthikeyan G, Kazi DS, Longenecker CT, Mwangi J, Okello E, Ribeiro ALP, Taubert KA, Watkins DA, Wyber R, Zimmerman M, Carapetis J; on behalf of the American Heart Association Young Hearts Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis and Kawasaki Disease Committee of the Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young; Advocacy Coordinating Committee; Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; and Council on Clinical Cardiology. The American Heart Association’s call to action for reducing the global burden of rheumatic heart disease: a policy statement from the American Heart Association [published online ahead of print October 19, 2020]. Circulation. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000922.