9/3/24, 12:07 Cardiovascular Disease in Latin America: The Growing Epidemic - ScienceDirect

Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases

Volume 57, Issue 3, November–December 2014, Pages 262-267

Cardiovascular Disease in Latin America: The Growing

Epidemic
Lanas Fernando a , Serón Pamela a , Lanas Alejandra b

Show more

Share Cite

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2014.07.007
Get rights and content

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) produce almost a million deaths a year in Latin America (LA), becoming the
main cause of death in the last years, and it is estimated that the number of deaths in the region
attributable to CVD will increase in the near future. This new epidemic is a consequence of the
demographic, economic and social changes observed in LA in recent years. Coronary heart disease and
stroke causes 42.5 % and 28.8%, respectively of the CVD mortality in the region. Chagas heart involvement
and rheumatic heart disease, once a major health problem, are responsible of only 1% of the mortality each.
Improving in socioeconomic status, increased life expectancy and high prevalence of risk factors for
atherosclerosis have been the major determinants of this marked epidemiologic change.

Section snippets

Physical inactivity

Physical inactivity is an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction3 and other CVD. Despite the
known benefits of exercise, physical inactivity is common in the general population of LA, with reported
prevalences of 17.4% in Mexico4 and 46.2% in Argentina.5 The population-attributable risk of coronary heart
disease (CHD) due to sedentary behavior in LA and the Caribbean is 7.1%, ranging from 2.7% in Guatemala to
11.3% in Argentina. Additionally, the life expectancy would increase by…

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033062014001054?via%3Dihub 1/5
9/3/24, 12:07 Cardiovascular Disease in Latin America: The Growing Epidemic - ScienceDirect

Cardiovascular diseases in Latin America

CVDs are the leading causes of death in LA, accounting for 33.7% of total mortality, with higher mortality
levels in Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela; Puerto Rico and Chile exhibit the lowest values.13
While LA faces an increased burden due to CHD and hypertension (HTN) and stroke, it still has significant
numbers of individuals with Chagas disease or rheumatic heart disease (Table 1 and Fig 1). Between 2000
and 2009, LA experienced a 14% drop in CVD mortality, from 229.9 to 191.4…

Stroke

Stroke is a major health problem in LA countries. It is a heterogeneous condition with three main
pathological subtypes: ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Ischemic
stroke is further classified into different subtypes according to clinical syndromes and the presence of
cardiac sources of embolism, atherosclerotic arterial disease, disease of small penetrating arteries or other
unusual causes.

The incidence of stroke was studied in a community-based prospective …

Hypertensive heart disease

The prevalence of HTN in LA countries differs widely between different studies. In the Cardiovascular Risk
Factor Multiple Evaluation in Latin America (CARMELA) study, a cross-sectional study of populations aged
25–64 years in seven cities in LA (from Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Mexico, Ecuador and Chile),
HTN prevalence ranged from 9% in Quito to 29% in Buenos Aires.23 In LA countries, National Heath Surveys
that include blood pressure measurements demonstrate that the prevalence of…

Chagas disease

Chagas disease, which is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is transmitted primarily
through parasite-laden secretions from hematophagous triatomine but also from pregnant mother to child,
through blood transfusions and organ donations and occasionally by oral transmission. One-third of
infected patients will develop CVD within two decades after the initial infection. Dilated cardiomyopathy is
the most important manifestation; it is characterized by heart failure, conduction…

Rheumatic fever

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in LA, and rheumatic
valvulopathy is an important indication for cardiac surgery in both children and adults. There have been
reports of incidences ranging from 2.9 per 1000 habitants in Cuba to 7.9 per 1000 habitants in La Paz,
Bolivia.29

In 2003, it was estimated that there were 101,822 children with RHD in LA. Reports from the Ministry of
Health in Brazil show that approximately 2200 patients in that country…

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033062014001054?via%3Dihub 2/5
9/3/24, 12:07 Cardiovascular Disease in Latin America: The Growing Epidemic - ScienceDirect

Statement of Conflict of Interest

There is no conflict of interest.…

Special issue articles Recommended articles

References (33)

S. Yusuf et al.
Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries
(the INTERHEART study): case–control study
Lancet (2004)

I. Lee et al.
Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of
burden of disease and life expectancy
Lancet (2012)

J. Goldstein et al.
Poverty is a predictor of noncommunicable disease among adults in Peruvian cities
Prev Med (2005)

P.M. Lavados et al.

Incidence, 30-day case-fatality rate, and prognosis of stroke in Iquique, Chile: a 2-year
community based prospective study (PISCIS project)
Lancet (2005)

M.J. O'Donnell et al.

Risk factors for ischaemic and intracerebral haemorrhagic stroke in 22 countries (the
INTERSTROKE study): a case–control study
Lancet (2010)

C.J. Murray et al.

The global burden of disease: a comprehensive assessment of mortality and disability from
diseases, injuries and risk factors in 1990 and projected to 2020
(1996)

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division

World population prospects: the 2012 Revision, Volume II: demographic profiles

Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición

Encuesta Nacional de Factores de Riesgo

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033062014001054?via%3Dihub 3/5
9/3/24, 12:07 Cardiovascular Disease in Latin America: The Growing Epidemic - ScienceDirect

Encuesta Nacional de Salud ENS Chile 2009–2010

View more references

Cited by (51)

Differences in metabolic biomarkers in people with schizophrenia who are of Mexican descent
compared to non-Hispanic whites
2024, Psychiatry Research

Show abstract

A comprehensive analysis of cardiovascular mortality trends in Peru from 2017 to 2022: Insights
from 183,386 deaths of the national death registry
2023, American Heart Journal Plus: Cardiology Research and Practice

Show abstract

Lipoxins and their relationship with inflammation-associated diseases. A systematic review

2023, Obesity Research and Clinical Practice

Show abstract

COVID-19 and mucormycosis in Latin America – An emerging concern

2021, Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease

Translation and evaluation of a comprehensive educational program for cardiac rehabilitation

patients in Latin America: A multi-national, longitudinal study
2021, Patient Education and Counseling

Show abstract

Cultural factors influencing self-care by persons with cardiovascular disease: An integrative

review
2021, International Journal of Nursing Studies

Show abstract

View all citing articles on Scopus

Statement of Conflict of Interest: see page 266.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033062014001054?via%3Dihub 4/5
9/3/24, 12:07 Cardiovascular Disease in Latin America: The Growing Epidemic - ScienceDirect

The authors do not have a conflict of interest related with the content of this article.

View full text

Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

All content on this site: Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V., its licensors, and contributors. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar
technologies. For all open access content, the Creative Commons licensing terms apply.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033062014001054?via%3Dihub 5/5