The School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College and Novartis have announced the launch of the Health Assessments and Rapid Transformation (HEART) initiative, a comprehensive five-year program designed to combat cardiovascular disease disparities across three strategically selected US cities. The partnership represents a significant investment in population health approaches that address both clinical and non-clinical determinants of heart health.
Addressing America's Leading Killer
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that one person dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease, accounting for nearly one in every three deaths nationwide. The economic burden is equally staggering, with heart disease costing an estimated $417.9 billion between 2020 and 2021 in healthcare services, medicines, and lost productivity.
"In the United States, life expectancy can differ by decades between neighboring communities, reflecting deep structural divides," said Daniel E. Dawes, JD, SVP of Global Health and Founding Dean, School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College. "At the same time, our nation has made the least progress among developed countries in reducing preventable deaths, with cardiovascular disease leading those deaths."
Strategic City Selection and Community-Centered Approach
The HEART Initiative will concentrate its efforts in three geographically diverse cities: Nashville, Tennessee; Detroit, Michigan; and San Bernardino, California. These locations were specifically chosen due to their disproportionately higher rates of cardiovascular disease and social vulnerability.
The program emphasizes community collaboration, with the Meharry School of Global Health working alongside local stakeholders including community members, health systems, nonprofits, and local government entities. Together, they will co-create, implement, and measure innovative interventions targeting specific drivers of adverse cardiovascular health outcomes.
Recent research has highlighted the connection between socioeconomic factors and cardiovascular risk, with studies showing that Medicare beneficiaries who are food insecure, socially vulnerable, and whose income is close to or below the poverty line are more likely to develop heart disease.
Targeting Key Risk Factors
The initiative places particular emphasis on early detection and effective management of cardiovascular risk factors. The CDC identifies high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking as the leading contributors to heart disease. Additionally, the program will address Lp(a), a genetically inherited and independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease that has gained increased recognition in recent years.
"The HEART Initiative builds upon our longstanding commitment to improving health in communities by uniting community voices, health systems, and policy leaders to drive systemic changes that remove barriers to care," said Binta Beard, Head of US Social Impact at Novartis. "Most deaths from cardiovascular disease can be prevented. Through this partnership, we are furthering our mission to ensure no heart is lost too soon by building scalable and sustainable community-centered approaches to effective risk factor management and treatment."
Innovation Through Partnership
Novartis serves as the lead founding partner for the HEART Initiative, bringing pharmaceutical industry expertise to complement Meharry's academic and community health focus. The collaboration aims to create scalable models that can be applied nationwide, combining local knowledge with academic expertise through research, policy, and technology integration.
The initiative represents a comprehensive approach to cardiovascular health that goes beyond traditional clinical interventions to address upstream determinants of health. By focusing on prevention, education, and community-driven care strategies, HEART seeks to create lasting systemic changes that can reduce cardiovascular health disparities across diverse populations.
