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Guidance & Recommendations

The World Heart Federation supports the development of policies that have a positive impact on people’s heart health. Our roadmaps, policy briefs and position papers can be adapted to different contexts and are regularly updated based on the latest available evidence.

CVD Roadmaps

Our Roadmaps are designed and developed by international teams of experts who together identify challenges and offer solutions on specific topics impacting cardiovascular mortality. They can serve as models for regions and countries to develop their own Roadmaps and create or update their national non-communicable disease action plans. They offer a framework to bring together stakeholders with the objective of determining, prioritizing and implementing solutions to reduce premature CVD deaths in any context.

Atrial Fibrillation
Chagas Disease
Cholesterol
CVD in People Living with Diabetes
Digital Health in Cardiology
Heart Failure
Hypertension
Rheumatic Heart Disease
Secondary Prevention
Tobacco Control
Learn more

Policy Briefs

Our policy briefs present concise summaries of information that can help readers understand and make informed decisions about policies related to cardiovascular disease, associated risk factors and determinants of health. They provide objective summaries of relevant research, outline existing global policies, suggest possible approaches and argue for courses of action that governments should take when creating or considering policies to foster healthy environments in their country or region.

WHF Policy Brief on Front-of-Pack Labelling
Clean Air, Smart Cities, Healthy Hearts
E-cigarettes: A New Threat for Cardiovascular Health
The Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Cardiovascular Health: Myths and Measures

 

Position Papers

Our position papers reflect our policy positions on a wide range of CVD-related issues. They are supported by scientific studies published in recognized journals and have a rigorous review and approval process. These papers generally include a review of data available on a specific subject, an evaluation on its relationship to overall cardiovascular disease science, and WHF recommendations on the basis of that evaluation within the context of global public health policy.

The Case for the Digital Transformation of Circulatory Health
Improving Access to Essential Medicines for All People: A Call to Action
Preventing the Next Pandemic: The Case for Investing in Circulatory Health

Latest News

World Heart Federation Appoints Borjana Pervan as Chief Executive Officer

The World Heart Federation (WHF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Borjana Pervan as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 June 2026. Ms Pervan brings over two decades of service spanning global health, environment, human rights, and child protection. She has served as Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO of the World […]

Designed to Addict: Newer Tobacco and Nicotine Products Are a Threat to Cardiovascular Health

The World Heart Federation (WHF) is proud to celebrate World No Tobacco Day – under the banner Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction – together with the global cardiovascular health and tobacco control communities. Tobacco use and exposure to second-hand emissions are responsible for over 7 million deaths each year. Tobacco remains a […]

Tobacco

WHF calls for stronger action on cardiovascular health at the 79th World Health Assembly

The World Heart Federation represented its Members and the global cardiovascular community at the 79th World Health Assembly, which was held from 18 to 23 May 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland.  Throughout the Health Assembly, WHF engaged with Member States, the World Health Organization, and civil society partners to call for stronger, more equitable, and more integrated action on cardiovascular health and other […]

Placing NCDs and Cardiovascular Disease at the Heart of the 2030 Agenda

This constituency statement was led and delivered by the World Heart Federation under agenda item 12.6 – Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – at the Seventy-Ninth World Health Assembly.   Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, We note with concern that the world is significantly off course to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals, […]

All Topics

Air Pollution

Air Pollution

Chagas Disease

Chagas Disease

Cholesterol

Cholesterol

COVID-19

COVID-19

Diabetes

Diabetes

Healthy Diet

Healthy Diet

Heart Failure

Heart Failure

Hypertension

Hypertension

Obesity

Obesity

Prevention

Prevention

Rheumatic Heart Disease

Rheumatic Heart Disease

Tobacco

Tobacco

Women & CVD

Women & CVD

The most common heart attack symptom, in both men and women, is some type of chest pain, pressure or discomfort. But chest pain is not always the most noticeable symptom, especially in women, who are more likely to experience it as pressure or tightness in the chest. They may even have no chest pain at […]

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