Treatment without prevention is not a sustainable solution.

— BILL GATES —
PRESIDENT OF THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

PREVENTION

The Heart Fund informs parents, children, teachers and healthcare workers of cardiopathic risks in developing countries.

PROTECTING PEOPLE

—

ACT

EARLY

—

Prevention is based on a series of actions that allow

avoiding the development of infantile heart diseases

or complications.

The prevention of acute articular rheumatism using economical and reproducible measures such as simple antibiotic therapy enables avoiding severe complications and premature death.

Prevention requires educating people by distributing information concerning the disease and its causes and risk factors, as well as solutions that enable modifying behavior and risky environments.

EDUCATING

PEOPLE

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Attract attention to the importance of prevention and help parents and the general population to recognize the signs and symptoms of congenital and rheumatic cardiopathies. Incite families to go to health services for evaluation.

REDUCING

RISK FACTORS

—

Although no cause has been found for most congenital cardiopathies, there are risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol and infections such as rubella, while certain toxic substances are responsible for malformations.

IMPROVING THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT

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Precarious environmental and health conditions, along with promiscuity, are associated to a higher risk of rheumatic cardiac diseases and can lead to faster and more frequent contamination by the streptococcus responsible for rheumatic fever.