How to optimize the adherence to a guideline-directed medical therapy in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases: a clinical consensus statement from the European Association of Preventive Cardiology.

A key factor to successful secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is optimal patient adherence to treatment. However, unsatisfactory rates of adherence to treatment for CVD risk factors and CVD have been observed consistently over the last few decades. Hence, achieving optimal adherence to lifestyle measures and guideline-directed medical therapy in secondary prevention and rehabilitation is a great challenge to many healthcare professionals. Therefore, in this European Association of Preventive Cardiology clinical consensus document, a modern reappraisal of the adherence to optimal treatment is provided, together with simple, practical, and feasible suggestions to achieve this goal in the clinical setting, focusing on evidence-based concepts.

[Cardiovascular disease prevention and cardiac rehabilitation]. / Prevención cardiovascular y rehabilitación cardiaca.

This article reviews the main developments in cardiovascular disease prevention reported in recent publications. The prevention of coronary heart disease often begins with the identification of risk factors. Better understanding of emerging risk factors could help to improve risk assessment and increase the efficacy of preventative measures. Lifestyle modification and the introduction of better-tolerated and effective new drugs have been shown to prevent atherosclerosis and prolong survival.