Editorial
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World J Cardiol. Mar 26, 2010; 2(3): 43-49
Published online Mar 26, 2010. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v2.i3.43
Stopping the cardiovascular disease continuum: Focus on prevention
Steven G Chrysant
Steven G Chrysant, University of Oklahoma and Director of the Oklahoma Cardiovascular and Hypertension Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73132-4904, United States
Author contributions: Chrysant SG solely contributed to this paper.
Correspondence to: Steven G Chrysant, MD, PhD, Clinical Professor, University of Oklahoma and Director of the Oklahoma Cardiovascular and Hypertension Center, 5850 W. Wilshire Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73132-4904, United States. schrysant@yahoo.com
Telephone: +1-405-7216662 Fax: +1-405-7218417
Received: February 20, 2010
Revised: March 8, 2010
Accepted: March 15, 2010
Published online: March 26, 2010
Abstract

The cardiovascular disease continuum (CVDC) is a sequence of events, which begins from a host of cardiovascular risk factors that consists of diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking and visceral obesity. If it is not intervened with early, it inexorably progresses to atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, left ventricular hypertrophy, and left ventricular dilatation, which lead to left ventricular diastolic or systolic dysfunction and eventually end-stage heart failure and death. Treatment intervention at any stage during its course will either arrest or delay its progress. In this editorial, the cardiovascular risk factors that initiate and perpetuate the CVDC are briefly discussed, with an emphasis on their early prevention or aggressive treatment.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease continuum; Dyslipidemia; Diabetes mellitus; Obesity; Hypertension; Smoking