Cardiovascular disease prevention: a challenge for Latin America.

Abstract

Contemporary cardiology is revealing a growing interest in prevention, particularly in the field of atherosclerosis. This is due in part to the availability of new therapeutic tools that have proved to be effective for both primary1 and secondary2 3 prevention. Latin America is therefore faced with the challenge of defining new prevention strategies. Such strategies ought to consider issues such as clinical benefit, the impact on population morbidity and mortality, and the cost/benefit ratio.4 Most importantly, however, attention must be paid to the epidemiological peculiarity of this region. The native peoples of Latin America have different ethnic origins and high internal migration rates. Immigrants coming from Europe, Asia, and Africa in various waves have also contributed to define communities with original profiles, not only in terms of genetics but also with regard to diverse nutritional habits and lifestyles. Our continent thus has an epidemiological profile of its own. This peculiar profile should prompt us to acquire increasing knowledge and not to assume, as we have for many years, the existence …