by Gulayin PE, Pinazo M-J, Marcus R, Bern C, Clark EH, Nunes MCP, Nascimento BR, Shrikhande S, Taylor S, Perel P, Ribeiro AL. Global Heart 2026;21(1):6. doi: 10.5334/gh.1518
Summary: Despite existing guidelines, fragmented health systems, low provider awareness, and limited access to care hinder effective management of chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy. The authors of this manuscript applied the Donabedian model to define essential components of Chagas disease care at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. They used key recommendations from the World Heart Federation roadmap and evidence-based guidelines to identify core services at each level and examined two case studies that demonstrate successful implementation of innovative screening and management models. Primary care is central to early diagnosis and timely treatment, secondary care addresses complications through imaging and targeted therapy, while tertiary care provides advanced interventions and rehabilitation. Successful models illustrate that scalable, resource-appropriate interventions can enhance diagnosis and treatment.