2019 Recommendations for reducing tobacco consumption in the Portuguese-speaking countries. / Recomendações de 2019 para a redução do consumo de tabaco nos países de língua portuguesa.

After several decades of initiatives at international and national level inspired by the World Health Organization, tobacco consumption is still the second leading cause of death in the world and the leading cause of premature death and disability, as a result of various types of cancer and pulmonary, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. Tobacco consumption is also an important public health issue in Portuguese-speaking countries, which fully justifies the launch and implementation of these 2019 recommendations for reducing tobacco consumption in Portuguese-speaking countries by the Federation of Portuguese Language Cardiology Societies. This position statement reviews recent changes in and the present epidemiology of tobacco consumption in the Portuguese-speaking countries, discusses the negative health impact of new forms of tobacco consumption, and addresses available prevention and drug treatment strategies. Eliminating smoking requires a coordinated effort between various national and international bodies, with a policy approach in each country focusing on laws, education campaigns for primary prevention aimed at to the general public, particularly to encourage young people not to start smoking, and a health system approach to help smokers quit smoking permanently by a combination of drug treatment and cognitive behavioral therapy. The aim is to control the only cardiovascular risk factor that can be completely eliminated. This position statement aims to alert health professionals to the need to approach the subject of smoking cessation with patients and their families during hospitalizations and outpatient consultations, and to provide them with up-to-date knowledge on how to quit smoking and maintain control of this risk factor in the long term.

2017 Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension in primary health care in Portuguese-speaking countries. / Diretrizes de 2017 para manejo da hipertensão arterial em cuidados primários nos países de língua portuguesa.

The World Health Organization goal's to reduce mortality due to chronic non-communicable diseases by 2% per year demands a huge effort from member countries. This challenge for health professionals requires global political action on implementation of social measures, with cost-effective population interventions to reduce chronic non-communicable diseases and their risk factors. Systemic arterial hypertension is highly prevalent in Portuguese-speaking countries, and is a major risk factor for complications such as stroke, acute myocardial infarction and chronic kidney disease, rivaling dyslipidemia and obesity in importance for the development of atherosclerotic disease. Joint actions to implement primary prevention measures can reduce outcomes related to hypertensive disease, especially ischemic heart disease and stroke. It is essential to ensure the implementation of guidelines for the management of systemic hypertension via a continuous process involving educational actions, lifestyle changes and guaranteed access to pharmacological treatment.