title: Primary prevention of acute coronary events through the adoption of a Mediterranean-style diet.
abstract: We evaluated the role of a Mediterranean-style diet in preventing acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Data from CARDIO2000, a multi-centre retrospective case-control study investigating the association between ACS and demographic, nutritional, lifestyle and medical risk factors were used. We studied 661 patients hospitalized for a first ACS event and 661 matched controls without clinical suspicion of cardiovascular disease. The Mediterranean diet significantly reduced (by 16%) the risk of developing ACS. The association remained significant in the presence of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes mellitus or a combination of two of these cardiovascular risk factors. Our findings illustrate the importance of the Mediterranean diet in the primary prevention of acute coronary events.
authors.affiliation: Department of dietetics and nutrition, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Panagiotakos
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pitsavos
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chrysohoou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanadis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toutouzas
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D015982:Bias; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000150:complications; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects