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Case Reports
. 2025 Apr 18:49:e35.
doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2025.35. eCollection 2025.

HEARTS Pharmacy: A framework for integrating pharmacists in hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk management in primary care

Emily Ridley  1 , Donald J DiPette  2 , Stephanie Gysel  3 , Andres Rosende  4 , Norm R C Campbell  5 , Carolina Neira Ojeda  6 , Ricardo Pesenti  7 , Irma Consuelo Sanchez  8 , Vilma Irazola  9 , Ricardo Humberto Ruano Arevalo  10 , María Paz López Olivares  11 , Daniela Cortés Vidal  12 , Mailin Beltran Delgado  13 , Jessenia Zurita  14 , Pedro Ordunez  4
Affiliations
Case Reports

HEARTS Pharmacy: A framework for integrating pharmacists in hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk management in primary care

Emily Ridley et al. Rev Panam Salud Publica. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish, Portuguese

HEARTS Pharmacy, a project within the HEARTS in the Americas Initiative, provides a framework to integrate pharmacists into primary health care. Pharmacists are highly respected in health care but face challenges, such as limited scope of practice, regulatory barriers, and insufficient recognition, compounded by social norms that hinder their full potential. This paper presents compelling evidence that pharmacist-led interventions improve blood pressure control, lower cardiovascular risk, and reduce health care costs. It underscores the role of national pharmacy systems in ensuring access to high-quality medications. HEARTS Pharmacy emphasizes the role pharmacists play in team-based care, highlighting their expertise in medication management, patient education, and adherence. This paper advocates policy changes that empower pharmacists with greater responsibility, enabling them to play an active role in patient care. It also recommends actions to fully integrate pharmacists into care teams, positioning them as key players in hypertension control and cardio-vascular disease risk management within primary health care.

HEARTS Farmacia, un proyecto que forma parte de la iniciativa HEARTS en las Américas, proporciona un marco para integrar a profesionales de farmacia en la atención primaria de salud. Los profesionales de farmacia son muy respetados en el ámbito de la atención de salud, pero enfrenta algunas dificultades, como el alcance limitado de su labor, los obstáculos en la regulación y un reconocimiento insuficiente, que se ven agravados por normas sociales que les impiden desarrollar todo su potencial. En este artículo se presenta evidencia convincente que indica que las intervenciones dirigidas por profesionales de farmacia mejoran el control de la presión arterial, disminuyen el riesgo cardiovascular y reducen los costos de la atención de salud. Se subraya el papel de los sistemas nacionales de farmacia para garantizar el acceso a medicamentos de gran calidad. HEARTS Farmacia hace hincapié en el papel que desempeñan los profesionales de farmacia en la atención en equipo, y destaca su competencia en el manejo de medicamentos, la educación del paciente y la adhesión al tratamiento. En este artículo se aboga por cambios de política que empoderen a los profesionales de farmacia dándoles mayor responsabilidad y les permitan desempeñar un papel activo en la atención del paciente. También se recomiendan medidas para la integración plena de profesionales de farmacia en los equipos de atención, y para que sean un elemento clave en el control de la hipertensión y la gestión del riesgo de enfermedades cardiovasculares en la atención primaria de salud.

A Farmácia HEARTS, um projeto da iniciativa HEARTS nas Américas, oferece uma estrutura para integrar farmacêuticos na atenção primária à saúde. Os farmacêuticos são profissionais bastante respeitados na atenção à saúde, mas enfrentam dificuldades, como limitações em sua área de atuação, barreiras regulatórias e falta de reconhecimento, que são agravadas por normas sociais que os impedem de desenvolver todo seu potencial. Este artigo apresenta evidências convincentes de que intervenções lideradas por farmacêuticos melhoram o controle da pressão arterial, reduzem o risco cardiovascular e diminuem os custos de saúde, ressaltando o papel dos sistemas nacionais de farmácia para garantir o acesso a medicamentos de alta qualidade. A Farmácia HEARTS enfatiza o papel dos farmacêuticos na atenção baseada em equipes, destacando seu conhecimento técnico em gestão de medicamentos, educação de pacientes e adesão ao tratamento. Este artigo defende mudanças nas políticas de modo a empoderar os farmacêuticos, dando-lhes mais responsabilidades e permitindo que tenham um papel ativo no cuidado dos pacientes. Além disso, recomenda ações para integrar plenamente os farmacêuticos às equipes de atenção, colocando-os como atores-chave no controle da hipertensão arterial e na gestão dos riscos de doenças cardiovasculares na atenção primária à saúde.

Keywords: Hypertension; cardiovascular diseases; pharmacies; pharmacists; primary health care.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest. None declared.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Illustration of the diverse health care professionals who can contribute to team-based care in managing hypertension
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. HEARTS Clinical Pathway for hypertension and CVD risk management
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Essential functions of the community pharmacist
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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