According to the WHO cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. An estimated 19.8 million people died from CVDs in 2022, accounting for around 32% of all global deaths. Cardiovascular diseases include various conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, including heart attacks and strokes. Various behavioural factors increase the risk of developing these conditions. These include poor diet, physical inactivity, and tobacco and alcohol use. Consequently, individuals who use tobacco, are overweight or obese, and have high blood pressure and blood lipids are at risk of developing serious health complications.

Pharmacists can play a key role in the screening and management of risk factors, providing useful advice on how to keep a healthier lifestyle and provide adequate medication management for patients undergoing chronic therapies. This can include specific tasks such as patient education and counselling, medication review or detection of risk factors through, for example, measurement of blood pressure. Since pharmacy services are easily accessible and widely distributed in the community setting, a maximum benefit should be expected from interventions provided in this context.