Guest Editors: Dr Zainab Samad

Co-Guest Editor:  Dr Gerald Bloomfield, Dr Farhala Baloch 

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide. The burden is disproportionately high in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Rapid urbanization, demographic transitions, and increasing exposure to cardiometabolic risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, tobacco use, and unhealthy diets have accelerated the rise of CVD in these regions. At the same time, many LMIC health systems face structural challenges including limited access to diagnostic services, shortages of trained healthcare professionals, and fragmented models of care. Addressing this growing burden requires a comprehensive and multifaceted approach that extends beyond clinical management alone.

This special collection aims to highlight key challenges and emerging opportunities in cardiovascular care across LMICs. The articles in this series examine diverse clinical and health system contexts, including rheumatic heart disease in Pakistan, cardiovascular disease in pregnancy, community-based hypertension care in Sri Lanka, and evolving systems of care for heart failure in Sub-Saharan Africa. Attention is given to conditions that remain under-recognized in global cardiovascular discourse, such as rheumatic heart disease and maternal cardiovascular disease.

By bringing together perspectives from multiple regions and disciplines, this special edition seeks to stimulate dialogue on practical and scalable strategies to improve cardiovascular outcomes in resource-limited settings. Ultimately, advancing cardiovascular health in LMICs will require sustained investment, innovative and replicable models of care, and coordinated global and local action.