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(Circulation. 1997;95:2335-2337.)
© 1997 American Heart Association, Inc.

Articles

Introducing the InterAmerican Heart Foundation: Grassroots Organization Aims to Help Heart and Stroke Organizations in the Americas

Howard L. Lewis, MD

IHF Communications Director, Dallas, TX

	Introduction

 
DALLAS-The InterAmerican Heart Foundation (IHF) has begun a broad program of activities in its mission to "reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke in the Americas." Since it was incorporated in 1995, the IHF has grown to 26 member organizations in 16 countries (see Table). The foundation seeks to bring physicians, nurses, and other health professionals together with lay people into cooperative and coordinated efforts to fight cardiovascular disease (CVD). IHF programs concentrate on efforts to intervene against and mitigate the scientifically established risk factors for heart attack, stroke, infectious heart disease, congenital heart disease, and high blood pressure.

View larger version (15K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 1.

View this table: [in this window] [in a new window]   Table 1.

While many of the initial programs of the IHF are now directed toward medical and healthcare professionals, future programs will be developed for the general public in cooperation with its member organizations. Members now include foundations, associations, and professional societies in cardiology and other fields with an interest in prevention. Membership is open to any organization that wants to help in the fight against heart and blood vessel diseases in countries of the western hemisphere, including nations of the Caribbean.

The IHF issued its first medical and scientific recommendations for practicing doctors, Secondary Prevention of Coronary Disease and Other Vascular Diseases: A Proposal for Latin America, in 1996. Herman Schargrodsky, MD, of the Center for Prevention of CV Diseases at Italian Hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina, who is senior author of the statement, said, "Much information has been published...that makes us optimistic about . . . [Full Text of this Article]