The G8 Promoting Heart Health initiative aims at disseminating best practices for implementation of cardiovascular disease preventive interventions.

Qualitative databases, searchable with a common protocol, are being established in collaborating centres to provide ready-access to "how to" aspects of implementation and link individuals and institutions concerned with the practice of CVD prevention. The databases serve to carry out research into the identification of good practices. It is intended that access to this information will reduce developmental costs and facilitate collaboration.

The "Standards for Documentation" have been prepared by the G8 Promoting Heart Health Technical Committee . The Standards are a guide to describe key implementation aspects of interventions/ programs / activities targeted to entire population and communities or to individuals at high risks of CVD.

Areas of interest for case-studies include: worksite health promotion, school health, community-based heart health initiatives, risk factor screening programs, major national campaigns, professional education, dissemination of clinical guidelines and cardiac rehabilitation. To see a list of projects currently included in the database click here.

Potential users of the databases include a wide range of practitioners and disciplines in public health, primary care, policy development, community mobilization, marketing and program administration. The databases should also be of interest to researchers and students.

We welcome projects from any country, not just the G8 countries.

• Check out the heart health pamphlet (you will need Adobe Acrobat).
• Look at the report 2004 Heart Health Conference in Milan. Click here to open Adobe pdf file (2MB in size).