Education Across the Cardiovascular Continuum: Multidisciplinary and Compassionate Approaches for Patients, Families, Caregivers, and Professionals

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, demanding not only clinical excellence but also comprehensive strategies of prevention, health promotion, long-term management, and professional well-being. Education and training are pivotal in this scenario: they must be understood not only as formal curricula for healthcare providers, but also as dynamic interventions that accompany patients, families, caregivers, and professionals across the entire disease trajectory.

This Research Topic aims to explore the transformative role of education in cardiovascular health from a multidisciplinary and holistic perspective. Cardiovascular medicine can no longer be considered the exclusive domain of cardiologists; effective and sustainable responses require the active involvement of physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, nutritionists, public health experts, and digital health specialists, working together with patients, families, and communities. By integrating clinical, psychosocial, and preventive dimensions, we seek to highlight innovative educational approaches that foster interprofessional collaboration, empower patients, families, and caregivers, and promote healthier lifestyles and resilient healthcare teams.

We welcome contributions that address, among others:

- Multidisciplinary and interprofessional education: design and evaluation of curricula integrating cardiology, nursing, physiotherapy, psychology, nutrition, and public health; models of collaborative learning that strengthen teamwork and shared decision-making.

- Patient, family, and caregiver education across the disease continuum: strategies for secondary and tertiary prevention; interventions to improve adherence, self-management, and lifestyle modification; family-centered and caregiver-inclusive education in chronic cardiovascular conditions and end-of-life care.

- Health promotion and community-based interventions: cardiovascular risk reduction programs in schools, workplaces, and communities; equity-oriented and culturally sensitive health promotion.

- Technology-enhanced learning and innovation: simulation-based training, e-learning, mobile health (mHealth), and AI-driven or virtual/augmented reality educational platforms.

- Compassionate and professional well-being competencies: educational approaches to support reflective practice, resilience, and stress management; interventions to prevent burnout, enhance workforce sustainability, and cultivate compassionate care competencies.

- Psychosocial and communication competencies: training in motivational interviewing, health coaching, culturally competent care, and effective communication around diagnosis, prognosis, and shared decision-making.

- Global perspectives and equity: educational interventions in low- and middle-income countries; strategies to overcome resource limitations; cross-cultural comparisons of cardiovascular education.

Through this Research Topic, we aim to foster a shared dialogue on how education—conceived as both a clinical intervention and a professional resource—can transform cardiovascular care. By bridging disciplines, empowering patients, families, and caregivers, and sustaining the well-being of healthcare professionals, innovative educational strategies hold the potential to improve outcomes, advance equity, and shape the future of cardiovascular health worldwide.