Cardiovasculaire risicofactoren. I. Overzicht van mogelijke oorzaken van hart- en vaatziekten

- Despite the decline in the past 30 years in age-adjusted mortality, cardiovascular disease is still the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world and increasingly so in the non-Western world.

- The decreased mortality rate is attributed to increased knowledge of the risk factors, a concomitant healthier life style and improved treatment for the risk factors.

- It has been clearly demonstrated that increased serum levels of cholesterol, increased blood pressure, the presence of diabetes, physical inactivity and smoking increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

- The role of estrogens, homocysteine, thrombotic and inflammatory factors is currently the subject of considerable research.

- It seems likely that a certain genetic constitution enhances the susceptibility to the effects of other risk factors. New candidate genes are being suggested daily.

- Until now, no clearly decisive results have been achieved in determining the relations between the investigated genetic polymorphisms and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease.

- The consumption of foodstuffs that are rich in anti-oxidants seems to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, but randomised research into the effects of anti-oxidants as food supplements suggests that this does not affect the development of cardiovascular disease.