[Lifestyle intervention in the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases]

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Adherence to a healthy lifestyle lifelong is capable of significantly reducing the cardiovascular risk by up to 70% and is therefore a key component in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. According to the European and American guidelines lifestyle interventions include not smoking, daily physical activity of ≥150 min/week at moderate intensity or 75 min/week for higher intensity physical activity, a cardioprotective nutrition (high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, low amounts of saturated fatty acids and low salt intake), normal body weight (body mass index 20-25 kg/m²), arterial blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg (optimum <130/80 mm Hg), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol target values depending on the cardiovascular risk and a normal glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus with adjustment of a HbA1c to <7%. Lifestyle measures with weight reduction and intensification of physical activity can improve the cardiometabolic risk factors. In this way reduction of the systolic and diastolic blood pressures by approximately 10-15 mm Hg, reduction of HbA1c by approximately 1 % and reduction of triglycerides by ca. 30-40 % are possible. The LDL-cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) levels cannot be easily influenced. Beyond the recommendations for a cardioprotective lifestyle, additional pharmacological therapy may have to be added depending on the cardiovascular risk profile.

Keywords: Cardiovascular risk; Exercise; Healthy diet; Heart disease; Smoking.