New insights in preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To summarize changing paradigms and perceptions in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.


RESULTS
Recent studies have shown that arterial inflammation probably plays a key role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis, that acute myocardial infarctions often evolve from mild-to-moderate coronary artery stenoses, that patients who experience a fatal coronary event invariably had antecedent exposure to one or more major coronary risk factors, that angiographic findings may vastly underestimate underlying atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, and that many elective coronary revascularization procedures may be unnecessary. Moreover, cardiorespiratory fitness appears to be one of the strongest prognostic markers in persons with and without heart disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Collectively, these data highlight the value of comprehensive risk factor modification in the prevention of initial and recurrent cardiovascular events.
Franklin
Barry A
BA
Division of Cardiology, Cardiac Rehabilitation/Exercise Laboratories, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan 48073, USA. bfranklin@beaumont.edu
Trivax
Justin E
JE
Vanhecke
Thomas E
TE
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D002309:Cardiology / Q000639:trends*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008019:Life Style; D011315:Preventive Medicine; D011322:Primary Prevention; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016540:Smoking Cessation
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors