ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most important cause of death in the Western world and are responsible for a large proportion of the overall mortality and morbidity currently observed in the population of the developed countries (1,2). Atherosclerosis is the main cause of CVD and is the final result of a chain of events leading from risk factors to overt CV complications including catastrophic events such as stroke, myocardial infarction, or sudden death (Figure 2.1) (3). A cumulative analysis of over 250,000 adults enrolled from 18 different cohort studies and followed up for three decades showed that the lifetime risk for developing a symptomatic CVD increased progressively over time in both sexes with a direct relationship with the individual number of CV risk factors and the extent of their control according to guidelines (4). This suggests the importance of a reliable assessment of the CV risk profile for a preventive strategy of CV complications. However, despite the advancement in the knowledge of the epidemiology and pathophysiology of atherosclerotic vascular disorders, the burden of CVD remains very high and is expected to increase progressively during the next 20 years (5). The main reasons are the progressive increase in the life span and the unsatisfactory control of CV risk factors (6) in the general population at risk for CVD (6,7). For all these reasons, CVD prevention, that is, preventing or delaying clinical disease among asymptomatic and already exposed individuals, remains an issue of major public health interest.
