Cardiovascular prevention: components, levels, early origins, and metrics.

This article presents core epidemiological studies that establish the basis for cardiovascular prevention strategies. The results of the classic INTERHEART and INTERSTROKE studies that delineated population-attributed risk for myocardial infarction and stroke are described. Differences in the levels or types of prevention-primordial, primary, and secondary-lead to the concept that risk occurs on a continuum throughout life with great variability, beginning in infancy.

Prevention of cardiovascular disease: updating the immensity of the challenge and the role of risk factors.

Despite remarkable decreases in the mortality of coronary heart disease, there is concern that continued high levels of cardiovascular risk in the population may reverse these gains. By 2015, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in the United States will be 37.8%.