ABSTRACT
The term cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure, and stroke. CVD is the leading cause of death and disability in the industrialized world for both men and women, regardless of race or ethnicity, accounting for up to 50% of all deaths annually.1-4 Furthermore, it is estimated to remain the greatest cause of death worldwide through the year 2020.5 Factors that contribute to CVD include a poor diet, physical inactivity, obesity, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and low socioeconomic status.
