CPS urges residents to act early on heart health, as heart disease remains prevalent

GREAT BAY--The Collective Prevention Service (CPS) is urging residents to take practical, steady steps toward better heart health, warning that while heart disease remains a major cause of death worldwide, many heart conditions are preventable with consistent lifestyle habits and regular checkups.

Collective Prevention Service has outlined common pressures that build up over time, including unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, smoking, heavy alcohol use, high stress, and unmanaged conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. When these risks are left unchecked, CPS noted, they can contribute to heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.

The message aligns with the broader global picture, where World Health Organization continues to list cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death worldwide, with an estimated 19.8 million deaths in 2022. In the Americas, Pan American Health Organization reported that cardiovascular diseases accounted for the largest share of noncommunicable disease deaths in the region, citing 2.16 million cardiovascular deaths in its 2025 reporting.

Across the wider Caribbean context, Caribbean Public Health Agency has warned that hypertension is a leading cardiovascular risk factor, and it has cited a cardiovascular disease mortality rate of 418 per 100,000 population for the non-Latin Caribbean in its regional messaging. The World Bank has also emphasized that noncommunicable diseases account for more than 75% of deaths in the non-Latin Caribbean, with cardiovascular diseases among the largest contributors.

While St. Maarten does not have a widely published, regularly updated public table that breaks down deaths by specific heart disease categories year by year, historical cause-of-death reporting has already signaled how serious the burden can be locally. A PAHO Country Cooperation Strategy document, citing CPS as the source, reported that ischemic heart disease was the leading cause of death in both 2010 and 2012, accounting for 46 deaths (27%) in 2010 and 43 deaths (25%) in 2012.

Survey findings add another layer of context by showing how common key risk factors are in the population. In the “How healthy is St. Maarten Saint-Martin?” National Health Survey 2015 report, high blood pressure is shown as a prevalent condition among respondents, and “consequences of heart attack” also appears prominently in the self-reported conditions listed for the Dutch side of the island.

Against that backdrop, CPS is emphasizing prevention that people can realistically maintain, rather than short-term overhauls. The agency’s recommended steps include eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while cutting down on salt, sugar, and processed foods; building routine physical activity toward 150 minutes per week; maintaining a healthy weight; avoiding tobacco; limiting alcohol; managing stress; and keeping up with screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, especially for those with a family history of heart disease.

Public health officials also framed heart health as a community priority, stressing that everyday choices, supported by timely checkups and early detection, can reduce risk and strengthen overall wellbeing. Residents are encouraged to speak with their healthcare providers about personal risk factors and appropriate screening schedules.

At the same time, St. Maarten is working to strengthen the systems that produce the most reliable public health intelligence in the first place. In January 2026, PAHO reported on a mission focused on improving death certification and cause-of-death registration on the island, describing it as a key step in strengthening mortality reporting and surveillance.

For residents, CPS’ bottom line remains straightforward, prevention is built through repeatable habits and routine monitoring, with small decisions made consistently adding up to meaningful protection over time.

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