Cardiovascular disease (CVD), once thought to be confined primarily to industrialized nations, has emerged as a major health threat in developing countries. the turned to the IOM for advice on how to catalyze change.
In this report, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends that the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), development agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and governments work toward two essential goals:
- creating environments that promote heart healthy lifestyle choices and help reduce the risk of chronic diseases
- building public health infrastructure and health systems with the capacity to implement programs that will effectively detect and reduce risk and manage CVD.
To meet these goals, the IOM recommends several steps, including:
- improving cooperation and collaboration
- implementing effective and feasible strategies
- informing efforts through research and health surveillance.