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Science & Research

The World Heart Federation works to deliver reliable knowledge on the global burden of cardiovascular disease, and information on how it can be managed and prevented in communities around the world.

a medical professional wearing a hair net and face mask observing a young child's heart health with a stethoscope

World Heart Observatory

The first global data hub for cardiovascular disease Learn more

Global Heart Journal

Our open-access journal, Global Heart, provides a forum for dialogue and education on the prevention, treatment and control of cardiovascular disease worldwide, with a special focus on low resource settings. It publishes research results, points of view and educational material on CVD-related issues.

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Global Study on COVID-19 and CVD

In order to better understand the intersection between cardiovascular disease and COVID-19, the World Heart Federation embarked on a global study which aims to better describe cardiovascular outcomes and identify cardiovascular risk factors associated with poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19.

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Emerging Leaders Programme

The WHF Salim Yusuf Emerging Leaders Programme was created to form and develop a long-term cadre of experts who collaborate, research and act to reduce premature mortality from cardiovascular disease globally. The Programme, developed by Dr Salim Yusuf in 2014, provides training and networking opportunities in cardiovascular health policy and implementation science for healthcare practitioners, researchers, and global health advocates.

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World Congress of Cardiology

From 1950 to today, the World Heart Federation’s World Congress of Cardiology (WCC) has been a key event on the cardiovascular calendar, offering a global perspective on cardiovascular health and bringing together thousands of cardiology professionals from all over the world, with the common goal of reducing the global burden of cardiovascular disease.

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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
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CVD Scorecards

Our CVD Scorecards are designed to track and measure the national response of governments to CVD and monitor progress on implementing CVD prevention and management programmes. They provide a core set of indicators which allow us to understand the epidemiological situation in a country, evaluate the status of CVD programmes, identify policy gaps, and help prioritise advocacy for particular policies or programmes.

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Latest News

No More Smoke and Mirrors: Exposing Industry Tactics to Protect Heart Health

The World Heart Federation is proud to celebrate World No Tobacco Day with the global cardiovascular and tobacco control communities, under the theme Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.  Tobacco remains a major – yet entirely preventable – risk factor for cardiovascular disease, responsible for approximately 15% of all cardiovascular-related […]

Advancing Cardiovascular Health on the Global Stage

The World Heart Federation (WHF) proudly represented the global cardiovascular community at the Seventy-Eighth World Health Assembly (WHA78), which concluded on 27 May 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.   Throughout the Health Assembly, WHF delivered a series of high-impact statements across a range of agenda items to ensure that cardiovascular health remains central to global health priorities, […]

Addressing Neglected Cardiovascular Conditions in Women and Children

This statement was delivered by the World Heart Federation under agenda item 13.9 – Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health – at the Seventy-Eighth World Health Assembly.   Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, The World Heart Federation applauds the Director-General for his report and welcomes the newly released guidelines on rheumatic heart disease – […]

No UHC Without NCDs: Urging Progress Ahead of 2030

This constituency statement was led by NCD Alliance and the World Heart Federation under agenda item 13.3 – Universal Health Coverage – at the Seventy-Eighth World Health Assembly.   Distinguished delegates, There can be no Universal Health Coverage without addressing noncommunicable diseases and mental health – these are central to efforts to realise UHC. Yet, […]

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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