Joint publications

Hypertension innovations

Rajesh Vedanthan was in early 2016 invited by the editors of a special theme issue of Cardiology Clinics journal (dedicated to global health) to put together a piece describing innovative approaches to hypertension control in LMICs.  The PIs of the GACD hypertension research projects were then invited by Rajesh to contribute to this manuscript according to the following themes:

i. Community Engagement

ii. Salt Reduction

iii. Salt Substitution

iv. Task Redistribution

v. mHealth

vi. Polypill – Fixed-dose Combination Therapy

The manuscript, “Innovative Approaches to Hypertension Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries” was accepted for publication in Cardiology Clinics journal. Congratulations to Rajesh and the team!

COUNCIL Initiative

The COUNCIL Initiative is a group of researchers with the vision to develop a set of LMIC-specific guidelines for the treatment of chronic diseases, initially focusing on hypertension. The relative scarcity of hypertension guidelines in LMICs, often without implementation guidance, highlights a need to develop unifying guidance on blood pressure management and control that are applicable in LMICs.

Spearheaded by Mayowa Owolabi, COUNCIL has produced two manuscripts that can now be accessed online. “Gaps in Hypertension Guidelines in Low- and Middle Income Versus High Income Countries: a Systematic Review” has been published in Hypertension, while “Controlling cardiovascular diseases in low- and middle-income countries by placing proof in pragmatism” was published in BMJ Global Health. Congratulations to Mayowa and the team!

COUNCIL now has its sights set on guidelines on the treatment of diabetes and obesity globally. 

29 July 2016

“Behaviour change strategies for reducing blood pressure-related disease burden: findings from a global implementation research programme” 

Joint publications are one of the more concrete ways of demonstrating the fruits of collaboration. In November 2015, the first joint publication from the Hypertension Research Programme was published in Implementation Science.  Initiated by Dr David Peiris, this paper is the collective work of the GACD Hypertension Research Programme Writing Group members.  “Behaviour change strategies for reducing blood pressure-related disease burden: findings from a global implementation research programme” is the start of many more joint publication efforts and serves as a beacon for the team orientated approach that the GACD values most.  View the article here.

The Behaviour Change Wheel model used in first GACD joint publication.

“Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases Supports 15 Major Studies in Hypertension Prevention and Control in Low and Middle Income Countries”

June 2016 saw the second joint publication from the Hypertension research Programme.  Authored on behalf of the GACD Hypertension Research Teams, “Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases Supports 15 Major Studies in Hypertension Prevention and Control in Low and Middle Income Countries”, has been published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension and can be viewed here.  Congratulations to the team and to Sheldon Tobe and Brian Oldenburg for their efforts in coordinating this piece!

The viewpoint article published by GACD Hypertension teams