Abstract

Although the impressive progression of modern diagnostic opportunities and therapeutic options, cardiovascular diseases still represent the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, worldwide. Beyond the effective pharmacological treatment of major cardiovascular disease or sequelae, however, cardiovascular diseases developing in adult individuals are largely preventable. The substantial failure to prevent cardiovascular disease in the 20th century generation is mostly linked to the ineffective use, as well as to the underuse of available preventive strategies. As a consequence, preventive strategies should be encouraged at both individual and population level, to substantially improve healthy status of the general population and reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases in Western and Developing Countries.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular prevention, cardiovascular risk factors, high-risk individuals