New science focused on health disparities, cardiovascular risk factors and opportunities to improve patient outcomes will be among the topics as experts and cardiovascular clinicians from around Latin America and the U.S. come together at ACC Latin America 2026, in Medellín, Colombia, from Sept. 17 to Sept. 19. Hosted by the ACC and the Colombian Society of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery (CSCCS), participants will examine emerging cardiovascular science and evidence-based strategies for improving global heart health spanning the entire field of cardiovascular medicine.

“Partnering with the [ACC] is an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration and advance cardiovascular care across Latin America,” says Clara Inés Saldarriaga Giraldo, MD, FACC, ACC Latin America 2026 co-chair and past president of the CSCCS. “We are especially excited about the exchange of ideas and experiences among colleagues from across the region and around the world. We look forward to welcoming the cardiovascular community to Medellín and working together to improve heart health for all.”

Among the featured research are four studies exploring sex-based and regional disparities in STEMI management and outcomes across Latin America – drawing on data from a shared cohort of 5,766 STEMI patients, including 1,205 (21%) women across the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador and Bolivia:

An analysis of the cohort by Marlon Miguel Espaillat, MD, and colleagues found that, compared with men, women with STEMI tended to be older (median age, 64 vs. 60 years; p<0.001), with higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease and prior stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) (p<0.001 for all). Women had more atypical presentation, Killip class III-IV, cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest on admission, as well as lower rates of prior MI, prior PCI and multivessel disease, and higher rates of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and MI with nonobstructive coronary arteries.

Women also experienced significantly worse clinical outcomes compared with men, including rates of in-hospital death (11.6% vs. 7.1%; p=0.009), according to an analysis of the cohort by Ana M. Coeto, MD, et al. Although not independently associated with in-hospital death, female sex independently predicted an adverse composite of death, acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock (odds ratio [OR], 1.43), even after adjusting for stent implantation.

Of the 1,205 women, 100 resided in the Caribbean (8%), 185 in Central America (15%), 757 in Mexico (62%) and 163 in South America (13%), and geographic region was strongly associated with clustered cardiometabolic risk – with a high burden most likely in the Caribbean (OR, 5.05) and more likely in Central America (OR, 1.86) and South America (OR, 1.84) compared with Mexico. Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking and prior MI were most prevalent in the Caribbean, where 44% had a high-risk burden, according to a study by Miguel Delgado Sr., MD, et al.

A fourth piece of research by Sara Divanne González, MD, et al., focused on the 445 patients in the participant pool who were under the age of 45, including 74 women (17%), and found that younger women had more hypertension, diabetes, prior stroke/TIA, higher obesity burden, higher rates of suspected/confirmed SCAD and a lower prevalence of multivessel disease compared with younger men. Clinical severity at presentation, reperfusion strategy, LVEF, in-hospital mortality, door-to-device and door-to-needle times were comparable between women and men in this younger subgroup.

Other research presented at the conference includes a report on Austrian syndrome in a 57-year-old woman being simultaneously published in JACC: Case Reports.

Attendees will also explore emerging evidence and innovations through sessions on critical care cardiology, artificial intelligence and cardiovascular prevention in different patient populations, as well as presentations on cardiovascular risk from ultra-processed food consumption, biomass smoke exposure and more.

“ACC Latin America conferences help connect regional and global expertise so we can better serve patients across diverse communities,” says co-chair Juan C. Lopez-Mattei, MD, FACC. “I’m excited for the opportunity to engage with colleagues from across Latin America and around the world as we share cutting-edge science, practical education and innovative approaches to improving cardiovascular care.”

The conference will also feature ACC FIT Jeopardy, where Chapter teams from across the region will test their cardiovascular knowledge for the chance to compete at ACC.27-WCC, being held April 10–12, in Houston, TX.

At Convocation, the ACC will also recognize individuals from throughout the region who have earned the distinguished Fellow of the ACC (FACC) designation. This prestigious credential recognizes a commitment to improving patient care and outcomes.

Clinical Topics: Stable Ischemic Heart Disease, Vascular Medicine, Chronic Angina

Keywords: Latin America, ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, Heart Disease Risk Factors