Professor Pasquale Maffia co-authors global heart study
Published: 5 November 2026
The School of Infection & Immunity's Professor Pasquale Maffia has collaborated on an international study consisting of more than 315,000 adults across 76 countries that has revealed gaps in heart disease prevention
The School of Infection & Immunity's Professor Pasquale Maffia has collaborated on an international study on heart disease prevention consisting of more than 315,000 adults across 76 countries.
Through the ASANDE Consortium, the team united researchers from the University of Glasgow, the University of Oxford, Institut Pasteur de Dakar and international partners.
Led by Professor Bamba Gaye from the Africa Oxford Initiative, the research includes Professor Maffia among its senior authors, while PGR student Moustafa Morsy contributed to the statistical analysis.
Findings have shown that diagnosing high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol is not enough to close inequalities in cardiovascular prevention; and access to treatment and continuing care is essential.
Cardiovascular diseases involve immune-driven inflammatory processes and remain a major global health challenge. Effective preventive treatments exist, but their benefits are unevenly shared.
The researchers also modelled the potential benefit of treating untreated individuals. The largest treatment gaps did not necessarily correspond to the greatest predicted reduction in cardiovascular risk: gains also depended on underlying risk and age.
Lower predicted short-term risk in younger populations does not imply less need for preventive care. The findings underline that screening must be accompanied by affordable treatment and long-term follow-up, with investment in health services alongside efforts to reduce inequalities.
Reported in The Lancet Global Health, the research analysed 109 nationally representative surveys conducted between 2002 and 2024, comparing disease awareness, treatment and control by household wealth, region and sex.
Inequalities generally widened from diagnosis to disease control. Wealthier people were more likely to achieve control overall, although patterns varied.
In the African region, coverage was generally low across wealth groups, highlighting the need for investment in services and medicines.
Professor Maffia said: “Diagnosis is only the beginning. People need affordable medicines and continuing care to protect against heart disease and stroke.
"Our work highlights the importance of translating scientific knowledge into prevention that reaches everyone who needs it.”
First published: 5 November 2026