[Primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases by nonpharmacological means].
OBJECTIVE
Primary prevention with drugs such as ACE inhibitors, statins and betablockers is highly effective, but due to expensiveness not cost-effective. The aim of this review article was to demonstrate whether nonpharmacological therapy with life-style factors (nonsmoking, healthy eating pattern, increased physical activity) can reduce the incidence of classic risk factors and the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.


METHODS
The effect of several important life-style factors such as different diets, nonsmoking and physical activity was analyzed by means of an inquiry of the literature.


RESULTS
Randomized actual studies demonstrate that a healthy diet can influence the beginning and progression of hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Epidemiologic studies show with high consistency that nonsmoking, regular physical activity and an diet rich in fruit and vegetables, low-fat products, fish and lean meat is associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events and mortality. A further decrease of the cardiovascular morbidity can be reached by combining several of these life-style variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Life-style factors such as a healthy eating pattern, nonsmoking and regular physical activity can contribute to an enormous health benefit in the general population and save money for the public social systems. Therefore the promotion of this healthy life-style should be a major aim of the health policy.
Lengfelder
Wolfgang
W
Klinik für Kardiologie und Internistische Intensivmedizin, Klinikum Minden. kardiologie@klinikum-minden.de
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome