Trends and heterogeneity of cardiovascular disease and risk factors across Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Aging, globalization and urbanization in Latina America and the Caribbean (LAC) have made cardiovascular disease (CVD) the number one cause of death and disability, while communicable diseases have decreased. This epidemiological transition has been more heterogeneous than in other areas of the world. While countries like Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Colombia have seen a significant decrease in CVD mortality, the rest of the countries have seen an increase, particularly Central American and Caribbean countries.

Risk screening for cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Latino migrant farmworkers: a role for the community health worker.

Diabetes and heart disease are two of the leading causes of death for Hispanics living in the United States (American Heart Association [AHA] in Circulation 123:e18-e209. doi: 10.1161/CIR.

Early childhood diarrhea and cardiometabolic risk factors in adulthood: the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama Nutritional Supplementation Longitudinal Study.

Background: Nutritional deficits in early life have been associated with a higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adulthood. Early childhood diarrhea contributes to undernutrition and may potentially increase the risk for adult noncommunicable diseases. Our objective was to examine associations between early childhood diarrhea burden and later development of MetS.

Early childhood growth failure and the developmental origins of adult disease: do enteric infections and malnutrition increase risk for the metabolic syndrome?

Hypotheses regarding the developmental origins of health and disease postulate that developing fetuses - and potentially young children - undergo adaptive epigenetic changes that have longstanding effects on metabolism and other processes. Ongoing research explores whether these adaptations occur during early life following early childhood malnutrition. In the developing world, there remains a high degree of nutritional stunting, defined as linear growth failure caused by inadequate caloric intake, which may be exacerbated by inflammation from ongoing infections.

Information and communication technology in cardiovascular disease prevention in developing countries: hype and hope. Report of the International Collaboration on Information Use in Cardiovascular Health Promotion in Developing Countries.

Information can be an important tool in promoting a prevention strategy to address the emerging epidemic of cardiovascular disease in developing countries. Advances in information and communication technology offer new promises for global access to information and for global mobilization to prevent and control cardiovascular disease. This is especially true for health professionals, whose needs in areas such as networking, exchange of expertise and access to relevant advances remain unfulfilled.