Background:
Several risk factors have been empirically linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular
disease. Some of them are therapeutically amenable to modification; while others are not.
Modifiable risk factors include physical inactivity, tobacco use, diet, “bad fats” in the blood, hypertension,
and being overweight; while non-modifiable risk factors include the patient’s family history,
the presence versus absence of diabetes mellitus, and demographic characteristics like age, gender,
ethnicity, and socio-economic status.
Methods:
In this article, we review those risk factors that are both clinically important and amenable
to change.
Conclusion:
To prevent cardiovascular disease, it is important to minimize modifiable risk factors,
like LDL cholesterol.
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