Despite improved statin use and cholesterol control, cardiovascular disease risk rose in Mexico between 2016 and 2023, according to a study presented at ACC Latin America 2025.

Investigators led by César Daniel Paz-Cabrera, MD, at the Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública in Mexico City, conducted a retrospective analysis with data from the 2016-2023 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey using models created from two region-specific tools. The first, the Globorisk-LAC, uses data provided by nine cohorts across six Latin America and Caribbean countries to create risk tables for 31 countries, while the second, the World Health Organization model, was created from data in high-income regions and used to chart subregions within the Latin America and Caribbean region.

Analysis was based on the risk factors captured in the survey, including systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, diabetes, smoking status, body mass index, sex and age.

Results showed that in both models, average 10-year cardiovascular disease risk increased between 2016 and 2023: by 9.5% and 9.2% in the two Globorisk-LAC lab-based and office-based models and by 4.4% in the WHO model.

In those considered eligible by the Globorisk-LAC lab-based model, statin use increased from 1% in 2016 to 59% in 2023. LDL cholesterol control also improved among all groups except those at very high risk. By 2023, blood sugar control reached 78.6% and 46.5% for blood pressure control.

Paz-Cabrera attributes this partially to public health campaigns. "Public health measures such as taxation of sugary drinks, front-of-package warning labels, the elimination of industrially produced trans-fatty acids, and the prohibition of advertising and selling ultra-processed foods and sugary beverages in educational institutions have proven highly effective in Mexico and other countries in [the region]," he writes.

Learn more about ACC Latin America 2025, taking place Sept. 18-20 in Mexico City, Mexico. Plus, follow the ACC on social media and use the hashtag #ACCLATAM to join the conversations.

Keywords: Latin America