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In this episode, host Pablo Perel speaks with Mr. Girma Dessie and Dr. Andrew Moran about a powerful example of real-world cardiovascular implementation research from Ethiopia.

Mr. Dessie presents a recent study investigating why patients enrolled in a hypertension program were missing follow-up visits, despite strong program support and a standardized care model. The discussion covers the challenges of conducting field research in low-resource settings, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest—and how their findings directly informed national health policy changes in Ethiopia.

Dr. Moran, co-author of the study and deputy editor of Global Heart, introduces the journal’s new section “Lessons from the Field,” aimed at amplifying implementation and operational research from low- and middle-income countries. He explains how this new platform will support practitioners and policymakers by bringing visibility to local innovations that improve cardiovascular care.

Tune in to learn how frontline research can drive evidence-based policy, improve retention in care, and shape global cardiovascular health strategies.

Read the featured paper in Global Heart:
Factors Associated with Hypertension Care Follow-Up in the Ethiopia HEARTS Program

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This episode is hosted by Sean Taylor, Director of Science and Public Health at the World Heart Federation, and Shreya Shrikhande, Science and Public Health Officer in the same team. They speak with two patients, Maria and Chandrima, who share their personal journeys with angina.

Although their experiences are different—one facing years of uncertainty, the other enduring rapid, severe symptoms—both describe the struggle to receive a diagnosis and to have their symptoms taken seriously. They discuss the ongoing impact of angina on their daily lives, including physical, emotional, and social challenges.

Their stories highlight the importance of recognising non-typical presentations, listening to patients, and ensuring better awareness and support for those living with angina.

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In this episode, we explore the key findings of the World Heart Report 2025, which focuses on obesity and cardiovascular disease. The report’s lead authors, Professor Mariachiara Di Cesare from the University of Essex and Professor Francisco Lopez-Jimenez from the Mayo Clinic, delve into why obesity remains one of the most neglected cardiovascular risk factors, how it directly contributes to heart disease, and what makes this report distinct from previous editions.

The conversation also highlights the biological and societal drivers of obesity, the need for stronger clinical and public health responses, and what current trends mean for global health systems.

Tune in to hear about the latest evidence, clinical recommendations, and public health insights shaping the global response to obesity and cardiovascular disease.

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In this episode, we explore the 2025 WHO guidelines on the use of low-sodium salt substitutes. Prof. Mary L’Abbé, a member of the WHO guideline development group, explains the evidence, recommendations, and key considerations behind this important new guideline. Later, Prof. Jaime Miranda reflects on the global public health implications, implementation challenges, and how salt substitution could be a game changer for reducing population-level cardiovascular risk. Tune in to learn about the science, the controversies, and the potential for real-world impact.

And you can have access to the full WHO report here:

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240105591

 Read the Editorial on Global Heart Journal

https://globalheartjournal.com/articles/10.5334/gh.1419

Further reading:  

- Salt study in Peru: Effect of salt substitution on community-wide blood pressure and hypertension incidence - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0754-2

- UN GSDR 2023 report: Global Sustainable Development Report 2023: Times of Crisis, Times of Change - Science for Accelerating Transformations to Sustainable Development - https://sdgs.un.org/gsdr/gsdr2023

- Season with Sense - a public health campaign with the aim of driving down consumer sodium intake - https://www.seasonwithsense.com

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Wrap up February with the latest episode of the World Heart Podcast! This time, hosts Lisa Hadeed and Shreya Shrikhande, PhD welcome Prof. Laurence (Larry) Sperling, a leading expert in preventive cardiology, to discuss the critical connection between influenza and heart health.

Prof. Sperling shares key insights on how the flu can increase cardiovascular risks, why the annual flu shot is a powerful heart disease prevention strategy, and what steps we can take to protect ourselves and our communities. Tune in for an engaging conversation on the importance of vaccination, the science behind flu-related heart risks, and the role of healthcare professionals in building vaccine trust.

Listen now on all major podcast platforms!

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Kick off 2025 with the Global Heart Podcast! Our January episode features Dr. Raul Santos, Global Heart's new Editor-in-Chief, and Dr. Jagat Narula, WHF President, sharing their inspiring visions for advancing global cardiovascular research through Global Heart and the World Heart Federation to improve heart health worldwide.

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Join us for the latest episode of the World Heart Federation Podcast, hosted by WHF Senior Science Advisor, Pablo Perel. This time, we welcome Professor David Wood, a global leader in cardiovascular prevention, to discuss the groundbreaking and recently published INTERASPIRE study. Discover its key findings related to the critical gaps in achieving care standards for cardiovascular secondary prevention.

Link to the paper:  https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/45/39/4184/7742405

Details on the INTERASPIRE study on World Heart Observatory website:
https://world-heart-federation.org/world-heart-observatory/multi-national-studies/

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In this third episode of our podcast series ‘Global Heart Podcast', World Heart Federation Science Advisor Pablo Perel discusses recent global cardiovascular research on air pollution and explains findings and implications with lead authors of the papers.

1. Mark Miller (Reader, Centre for Cardiovascular Science at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.): World Heart Report 2024 | World Heart Federation
2. Dorairaj Prabhakaran (Executive Director, Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi, India): Longitudinal associations between ambient PM2.5 exposure and lipid levels in two Indian cities | PubMed

This episode was recorded at the World Heart Summit 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland. 

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In this second episode of our podcast series ‘Global Heart Podcast', World Heart Federation Science Advisor Pablo Perel and Global Heart Journal Editor-in-chief Rick Grobbee discuss recent global cardiovascular research on secondary prevention and explain findings and implications with lead authors of the papers.

1. Clara Chow (Professor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Australia): World Heart Federation Roadmap for Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: 2023 Update - Global Heart (globalheartjournal.com) | Global Heart
2. David Flood (Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Michigan, United Stated of America) & Sang Gune (Kyle) Yoo (Fellow, Washington University School of Medicine in St.Louis, United States of America): Aspirin for Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in 51 Low-, Middle-, and High-Income Countries | Cardiology | JAMA | JAMA Network | JAMA

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In this first episode of our new podcast series ‘Global Heart Podcast', World Heart Federation Science Advisor Pablo Perel and Global Heart Journal Editor-in-chief Rick Grobbee discuss recent global cardiovascular research on hypertension and explain findings and implications with lead authors of the papers.

1. Vilma Irazola (Director, Department of Chronic Diseases, Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina): Implementation outcomes and strategies for delivering evidence-based hypertension interventions in lower-middle-income countries: Evidence from a multi-country consortium for hypertension control |PLOS ONE
2. Anthony Rodgers (Professor of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia): Rationale for a new low-dose triple single pill combination for the treatment of hypertension | Global Heart
3. Thomas Gaziano (Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States): Results of a Remotely Delivered Hypertension and Lipid Program in More Than 10 000 Patients Across a Diverse Health Care Network | PubMed