[Integrated Care Protocols, a strategy for chronic diseases].

Noncommunicable diseases (NCD) cause more than 41 million deaths each year, equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally. The main types of NCD are: cardiovascular diseases (heart attack or cerebrovascular infarction), diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma). In Mexico, NCD are responsible of more than three-quarters of deaths. This supplement describes a novel strategy by the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) to confront chronic diseases, known as Integrated Care Protocols, which aim to be a simple and easy-to-interpret reference document, but at the forefront of national and international knowledge, based on scientific evidence and normative documents. In addition, they specify the indispensable, optional actions and those that have to be avoided by the expanded health team. Therefore, this tool will guide our actions according to scientific advances and social needs.