World Heart Day Campaign

World Heart Day is a campaign celebrated globally every September 29 by individuals, families, communities, and governments worldwide. This day was created by the World Heart Federation and is the biggest awareness-raising platform for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). This day aims to not only educate but highlight prevention and unite people in the fight against CVD. 

CVD is a broad term for conditions that affect our heart and blood vessels, including but not limited to Stroke, Heart Disease, and Heart Attack. CVD is the world’s leading cause of death, claiming 18.6 million lives every year, and will continue to burden many individuals and their loved ones until we reduce the causes and control the disease. World Heart Day acts as a platform to call attention to the actions that individuals can take to prevent the future of this global disease. 

Although there are some risk factors that we cannot control, including air pollution, stress, and family medical history, there are some routine choices individuals can implement into their lives. Keeping a nutritious diet, limiting tobacco use, and being physically active are all ways The World Heart Federation encourages people to take charge of their heart health.

People with CVD are more at risk of developing a severe form of the COVID-19 Virus. Due to their immunocompromised condition, individuals with CVD have been warned to stay isolated from family, friends and have lost their ability to live freely within their community in fear of contracting the virus. The pandemic has forced us to connect virtually as a society, and the health community was not exempted from that adaptation. With the help of digital health, the World Heart Federation is encouraging the world to “Use Heart to Connect” during the year 2021. “This is about using knowledge, compassion, and influence to improve the awareness, prevention, and management of CVD” (World Heart Federation). 

The three pillars that make up this campaign are Equity, Prevention, and Community. 

1. Equity:  The World Heart Federation says technology and data are two key components to accessing CVD information. Using digital tools allows for better prevention and care of heart-related concerns. All hearts are equal and should be treated that way; therefore, access to internet resources is essential.
2. Prevention:  As stated, prevention can lead to a heart-healthy life down the road. Additionally, technology continues to make our lives easier by providing tools that track physical activity and heart monitoring.
3. Community: Five hundred twenty million people live with CVD globally. With the help of technological advances, this community can stay connected and offer a support system. 

Improving clinical outcomes and patient experiences is a part of HIA’s goals as a company, and one of our performance improvement initiatives includes National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR). We have tailored our services to face the non-linear challenges that arise in healthcare during the 21st century. Our industry-leading abstractors understand these needs and are ready to confront these challenges.