title: Controlling cardiovascular diseases in low and middle income countries by placing proof in pragmatism.
abstract: Low and middle income countries (LMICs) bear a huge, disproportionate and growing burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) which constitutes a threat to development. Efforts to tackle the global burden of CVD must therefore emphasise effective control in LMICs by addressing the challenge of scarce resources and lack of pragmatic guidelines for CVD prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. To address these gaps, in this analysis article, we present animplementation cyclefor developing, contextualising, communicating and evaluating CVD recommendations for LMICs. This includes atranslatability scaleto rank the potential ease of implementing recommendations, prescriptions for engaging stakeholders in implementing the recommendations (stakeholders such as providers and physicians, patients and the populace, policymakers and payers) and strategies for enhancing feedback. This approach can help LMICs combat CVD despite limited resources, and can stimulate new implementation science hypotheses, research, evidence and impact.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Ibadan, and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria; World Federation for Neurorehabilitation-Blossom Specialist Medical Center, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Mayowa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Owolabi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; CRONICAS Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Jaime J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Ibadan, and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yaria
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ovbiagele