Promoting therapeutic lifestyle change and the primary prevention of coronary artery disease

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States claiming 927,448 American lives in 2002 [1] with coronary heart disease (CHD) as the single largest component. There were 494,382 coronary heart disease deaths in 2002, including 179,514 deaths from myocardial infarctions. Two significant populations contributing to the prevalence of CVD are those with hypertension and diabetes mellitus. There are similar multiple metabolic components and hemodynamic abnormalities that play a significant role in both chronic diseases [2]. © 2009 Springer New York.