Latest Guidelines for Preventing MI and Death in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

Many of the approximately 12.4 million Americans who have cardiovascular disease are not being treated with the most up-to-date risk-reduction therapies.¹ Strong evidence from recent studies, such as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Adult Treatment Panel III report² and the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) trial,³ demonstrate the need for more aggressive use of appropriate medical and lifestyle therapies for these patients.

The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology recently updated their 1995 guidelines to reflect the latest data (Table).