Spotlight Series: CVD Prevention

CVD Prevention Guidelines and Application to Clinical Practice

Summary

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, in 2007, it is expected that 1.2 million people will experience a first or recurrent myocardial infarction. Despite this, many lifestyle and medical management options for the prevention of cardiovascular disease remain underutilized. Because risk stratification represents the key to optimal risk reduction, it is important to familiarize healthcare providers with tools such as the Framingham risk score and lifetime prediction risk models. Ultimate cardiovascular prevention warrants a) appropriate identification of at risk individuals, b) delay and/or prevention of cardiovascular risk factors, c) initiation of preventive strategies before the development of clinically apparent disease, and d) personalized therapy based on the risk profile of a given individual.

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, participants should be able to:

Explain the importance of cardiovascular prevention and list the most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease
Discuss the prevention gap that currently exists in cardiovascular medicine
Use the Framingham risk score to calculate an individual's 10-year risk of adverse cardiovascular events
Discuss the different types of cardiovascular prevention (primordial, primary, and secondary)
List the appropriate lifestyle changes and therapies warranted for an individual based on their level of risk

This topic is CME/CE certified by the American Heart Association for physicians, physician's assistants, nurses and pharmacists.

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