Mexican Patient group Pacientes de Corazon joins Heart Valve Disease Council

The Mexican cardiovascular disease charity, Pacientes de Corazon, today announced it was joining the global alliance of heart valve disease patient organisations which form the Valve Disease Patient Council of the Global Heart Hub.

Pacientes de Corazon is dedicated to raising awareness of the impact of heart disease and improving detection, diagnosis and treatment in Mexico. The Global Heart Hub is the only umbrella organisation for cardiovascular disease patient organisations worldwide.

As part of its mission, Pacientes de Corazon is committed to supporting the Valve Disease Council’s campaign on positive ageing which has 4 calls to Action (the 4 A’s) namely:

Awareness – Call on governments, scientific societies and industry to collaborate with patient organisations on national campaigns to raise awareness of the signs, symptoms and diagnosis of heart valve disease

Ask –  Call for national payors to fund a check for heart valve disease as part of annual health checks for over 65s, so that people have the right to ask for a stethoscope check at least once a year

Action – Call on healthcare authorities to put in place national heart valve disease guidelines with outline a clear pathway from diagnosis to treatment which physicians can use as a decision-making tool

Access – Call on national healthcare providers to provide equal access for all to heart valve disease therapies which provide the best and most rapid return to a good quality of life

Carlos A. Castro Sanchez, President of Pacientes de Corazon commented: “We’re pleased to join this alliance of patient groups to collaborate on future projects. Alliances like this strengthen our voice and allow us to learn from each other so that we can deliver the best result for patients and their families, both in Mexico and worldwide. We can’t wait to start working together.”

Wil Woan Chair of the Valve Disease Council added: “I am delighted to welcome Carlos and Pacientes de Corazon to the Council. They have a reputation for expertise in the cardiovascular space and an ability to influence national policy for putting patients and their families at the centre of what they do. Their support for patients and dedication to providing comprehensive treatment packages that deliver better quality of life aligns well with the ethos of our group.” He went on to say that “the Global Heart Hub was established to facilitate the alliance of heart patient organisations where collective ambition and support individual patient groups greater strength to deliver for their patients. It is important that we continue to expand our alliance so that we can support and learn from one another in order to deliver best outcomes for our patients”