On the occasion ofWorld Heart Day, celebrated each Sept. 29, the Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) is launching a new app for mobile devices and computers that calculates people's risk of cardiovascular disease and can help motivate them to take steps to lower that risk.
Released for World Heart Day, the app can help motivate people to take action to lower their risk of heart attack or stroke
Washington, D.C., 26 September 2014 (PAHO/WHO) — On the occasion of World Heart Day, celebrated each Sept. 29, the Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) is launching a new app for mobile devices and computers that calculates people's risk of cardiovascular disease and can help motivate them to take steps to lower that risk.
The
app is based on a WHO formula for estimating cardiovascular risk that is
appropriate for most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. It lets
healthcare workers and individual users calculate the probability of having a
major cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, in the next 10
years.
"This tool helps healthcare professionals rapidly assess their patients' situation and discuss strategies with them to lower their probability of experiencing one of these events," said Dr. Pedro Ordúñez, PAHO/WHO Advisor on Cardiovascular Diseases. "It is also designed to offer suggestions to people wishing to improve and monitor their cardiovascular status." The tool is not meant to replace consultation with a physician, but it is user-friendly for non—health professionals as well.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and in most countries of the Americas, where it kills some 1.6 million people each year. The main risk factors for cardiovascular disease are tobacco use, physical inactivity, and obesity. People with hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol are more likely to suffer a heart-related event.
Knowing one's cardiovascular risk can motivate people to take steps to lower that risk, for example, by being more active, avoiding tobacco use, and consuming a healthy, low-salt diet rich in vegetables and fresh foods.
PAHO's Cardiovascular Risk Calculator app, which can be downloaded free of charge, offers advice to modify habits that contribute to higher risk. It allows users to see how their cardiovascular risk would change if certain risk factors were modified. Six variables are used to calculate the probability of experiencing a cardiovascular event in the next 10 years: age, sex, blood pressure, cholesterol level, whether the user is a smoker, and whether he or she has diabetes. A result of 10% or less is considered low; a risk of over 40% is considered high.
The risk estimate is more accurate if the serum cholesterol level is included, but it can be calculated without that variable. The app, developed by PAHO/WHO with the GEDIC group and Pixeloide, also allows users to calculate their body mass index (normal, overweight, or obese) and provides reminders to take medication on time and as prescribed.
World Heart Day 2014
This year, World Heart Day is focusing on the need to promote healthy spaces to prevent heart disease at home, at work, and in the community.
Many locations lack the conditions that allow people to make healthy food choices, especially fruits and vegetables and fresh foods, or to engage in physical activity and avoid secondhand smoke. The year's World Heart Day campaign is issuing a call to support initiatives that promote policies and programs to create spaces that help people lead healthy lives.
PAHO works with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of their populations. Founded in 1902, it is the world's oldest international public health organization. It serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of WHO and is the specialized health agency of the Inter-American system
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