Breaking Down Barriers: Combating Cardiovascular Disease through Compassionate Care and Social Determinants of Health
The landscape of cardiovascular health is constantly evolving, and organizations that show compassion towards patients will play a crucial role in achieving positive outcomes in the future. With new risk factors emerging, advancements in proactive cardiac care offer physicians and healthcare administrators more opportunities to identify cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks and support patients in a way that aligns with the needs of care communities. Health system leaders must enable clinicians to meet patients where they are by understanding population health trends, the role providers can play, and how technology can assist in identifying and addressing CVD risks early on. Personalized approaches should also be integrated to tailor interventions and treatment plans to individual patients’ unique needs and circumstances.
As we look at the complexity of modern cardiovascular health, significant improvements have been made in recent years. The age-standardized death rate from CVD in the United States has decreased from over 500 in 1950 to just over 130 in 2021. It’s now believed that 90% of heart disease can be prevented through interventions in cardiovascular health. However, challenges remain as CVD is expected to become more serious and widespread in the future, particularly in low and middle-income countries, where 80% of cardiovascular deaths occur.
Social determinants of health, such as low socioeconomic status, have been identified as risk factors in cardiovascular disease. Limited educational and economic opportunities, lack of support from peers for healthier lifestyle choices, and increased psychosocial stressors all contribute to this risk factor. Addressing these social determinants will be crucial in reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in the future. By taking specific actions to address these issues, we can make progress towards improving overall heart health outcomes for patients worldwide.
