European Society of Cardiology Unveils SCORE2-LAC to Calibrate Heart Disease Risk Across Latin America and Caribbean

ESC presents SCORE2-LAC at Preventive Cardiology 2026, a new model to accurately predict cardiovascular risk across Latin America and the Caribbean.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 24, 2026, 10:22 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

Closing the Global Gap in Cardiovascular Risk Prediction

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has taken a significant step toward addressing regional disparities in heart health with the presentation of the SCORE2-LAC model. Introduced on April 24, 2026, at the annual congress of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology, this model is designed to improve the identification of individuals at high risk for heart attacks and strokes. Senior investigator Professor Frank Visseren explained that while existing European models like SCORE2 are foundational, they require extensive recalibration to account for the unique incidence patterns and risk factor distributions found in Latin American and Caribbean communities.

Historical Collaboration Between European and Inter-American Societies

The development of SCORE2-LAC is the result of a milestone partnership between the ESC Cardiovascular Risk Collaboration and the Inter-American Society of Cardiology (SIAC). Professor Carlos Ignacio Ponte Negretti, representing SIAC, characterized the project as a historic achievement for the region, noting that it provides a rigorously validated tool built on local epidemiological data for the first time. This collaboration aims to move beyond generic global estimates, offering clinicians a more reliable framework for implementing preventive strategies such as lifestyle modifications and blood pressure management.

A Data-Driven Approach Involving Millions of Participants

The scale of the data used to build SCORE2-LAC is unprecedented for the region. Doctor Stella Bijkerk from the University Medical Center Utrecht revealed that the model has already incorporated average risk factor levels and mortality data from 32 countries. The research team is currently processing 10-year cardiovascular disease incidence data from 2.6 million individuals, with plans to integrate an additional 37 million records from Brazil in the coming weeks. This massive dataset ensures that the model reflects the geographic and demographic diversity inherent in the Caribbean and Latin American regions.