ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease remains the major cause of death in developed countries causing 40-45% of all deaths1. The incidence of cardiovascular disease markedly increases with age with symptoms present in more than 60% of people over 75 years of age yet in less than 9% of those under 35 years of age. Many factors increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, in particular hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, diabetes, insufficient physical activity, high alcohol use and tobacco smoking. Several of these risk factors tend to cluster; this is referred to as the Metabolic Syndrome – glucose intolerance leading to Type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes together with hypertension, hyperlipidemia and central obesity2,3.
