Growing urgency to address linked cardiometabolic risks in Mexico

With more than a third of deaths in Mexico linked to high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension often co-occur, prompting calls for integrated prevention and treatment strategies to combat rising cardiovascular and kidney failure risks.

High cholesterol, uncontrolled blood sugar and hypertension often travel together in Mexico, creating a cardiometabolic risk profile that can sharply raise the chances of heart attack, kidney failure and stroke. In its reporting on the issue, 24 Horas said the conditions frequently appear in the same patient rather than in isolation, which helps explain why doctors are increasingly treating them as one linked public health challenge rather than separate problems.

The scale of that challenge is reflected in Mexico’s latest mortality figures. INEGI’s 2024 death statistics show heart disease remained the country’s leading cause of death, with more than 192,000 recorded deaths, while diabetes mellitus ranked second with more than 112,000. Together, the two illnesses accounted for well over a third of all deaths registered in the country during the year, underscoring how heavily chronic disease continues to shape Mexico’s health burden.

Against that backdrop, TEVA México has been pressing the case for prevention, early diagnosis and sticking with treatment. Álvaro Gómez, the company’s medical affairs director, said the three pillars that can shift the course of cardiometabolic disease are healthy habits, regular testing and ongoing medical follow-up. He argued that patients need routine checks for cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure even when they feel well, because these conditions can progress for years without clear symptoms.

The company is also using the issue to promote its broader cardiometabolic portfolio. According to its statement, TEVA Pharma México is expanding treatment options for clinicians who are managing lipid and glucose control together, with the aim of helping reduce overall cardiovascular risk. The company said affordability, ease of use and treatment quality are central to keeping patients on therapy long enough to see results.

That message is reinforced by wider evidence on screening gaps. 24 Horas reported that the 2022 National Health and Nutrition Survey found hypercholesterolaemia in 18% of Mexican adults, while screening for cholesterol and other chronic conditions remained below 15%. Academic estimates cited by the outlet suggest that about 85.9% of people with high cholesterol are unaware they have it, leaving a silent condition to damage arteries and organs until complications emerge. Public health specialists say that makes combined management of cholesterol, diabetes and blood pressure essential, rather than treating each condition in isolation.