Achieving and Maintaining Cardiovascular Health Across the Lifespan

Abstract

The American Heart Association introduced the concept of cardiovascular health (CVH) in its 2020 Strategic lmpact Goals. Defined by the presence of four health behaviors (smoking, weight, diet, and physical activity) and three health factors (glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol), CVH reflects an expansion of preventive efforts to the entire population and a reframing of disease prevention to health promotion. Recent evidence has confirmed the relevance of the seven CVH metrics in cardiovascular outcomes, highlight-ing the critical role of a healthy lifestyle in achieving and maintaining CVH through the lifespan. Primordial prevention efforts geared towards health promotion and healthy behav-iors, sustained over the life course, and fostered by public health and health policy will be the key to achieving and maintaining CVH and improving the cardiovascular health of the nation.