Skip to main content

Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Coronary Heart Disease
  • 2778 Accesses

Abstract

Many cardiovascular risk factors are involved in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). Evidence-based medicine has taught us that lifestyle modifications such as a heart-healthy diet, smoking cessation, daily exercise, and optimal weight control have a significant impact on reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This chapter discusses these interventions as well as the role of antihypertensive, antiplatelet, and cholesterol-lowering therapies.

Despite the enormous progress in primary and secondary CAD prevention in the past few decades, the residual risk is still important, and therefore, continuous intensive research is mandatory in this field. Joint National Committee (JNC) VIII and Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) IV will guide us for the next decade in better qualitative and quantitative approaches for the preventive management of CAD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

ACCORD:

Action to control cardiovascular risk in diabetes

ACE-inhibitor:

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor

ACS:

Acute coronary syndrome

AHA:

American heart association

ARB:

Angiotensin receptor blocker

ATP:

Adult treatment panel

CABG:

Coronary artery bypass graft

CAD:

Coronary artery disease

CAMELOT Study:

Comparison of amlodipine vs. enalapril to limit occurrences of thrombosis study

CETP:

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein

CHARISMA:

Clopidogrel for high atherothrombotic risk and ischemic stabilization management and avoidance

CHD:

Coronary heart disease

CLAS:

Cholesterol lowering atherosclerosis study

CURE:

Clopidogrel in unstable angina to prevent recurrent events

CVD:

Cardiovascular disease

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

DHA:

Docosahexaenoic acid

EPA:

Eicosapentaenoic acid

EUROPA trial:

EURopean trial on reduction of cardiac events with perindopril in stable coronary artery disease trial

FATS:

Familial atherosclerosis treatment study

GI:

Gastrointestinal tract

HATS:

HDL-atherosclerosis treatment study

HDL-cholesterol:

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol

HOPE trial:

Heart outcomes prevention evaluation trial

HOT trial:

Hypertension optimal treatment trial

HRT:

Hormone replacement therapy

IMPROVE-IT:

Examining outcomes in subjects with acute coronary syndrome: Vytorin (ezetimibe–simvastatin) vs. Simvastatin

INVEST:

International verapamil–trandolapril study

LDL-cholesterol:

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

Lp a:

Lipoprotein a

MI:

Myocardial infarction

PCI:

Percutaneous intervention

PPI:

Proton pump inhibitor

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

SHARP:

Study of heart and renal protection

THRIVE:

Treatment of HDL to reduce the incidence of vascular events

US Public Health Service:

United States public health service

VAHIT:

Veterans administration HDL intervention trial

VLDL:

Very low-density lipoprotein

References

  1. Smith Jr SC, Allen J, Blair SN, et al. AHA/ACC; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. AHA/ACC guidelines for secondary prevention for patients with coronary and other atherosclerotic vascular disease: 2006 update: endorsed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Circulation. 2006;113:2363–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Graham I, Atar D, Borch-Johnsen K, et al. European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice: executive summary: Fourth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and Other Societies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice (constituted by representatives of nine societies and by invited experts). Eur Heart J. 2007;28:2375–414.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Mozaffarian D, Wilson PWF, Kannel WB. Beyond established and novel risk factors. Lifestyle risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 2008;117:3031–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Mosca L, Banka CL, Benjamin EJ, For the Expert Panel/Writing Group, et al. Evidence-based guidelines for cardiovascular disease prevention in women: 2007 update. Circulation. 2007;115:1481–501.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Smith Jr SC, Allen J, Blair SN, et al. AHA/ACC guidelines for secondary prevention for patients with coronary and other atherosclerotic vascular disease: 2006 update. Circulation. 2006;113:2363–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Johnson RK, Appel LJ, Brands M, et al. Dietary sugars intake and cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2009;120:1011–20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lichtenstein AH, Appel LJ, Brands M, et al. Diet and lifestyle recommendations revision 2006: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Nutrition Committee. Circulation. 2006;114:82–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Tonstad S. Smoking cessation: how to advise the patient. Heart. 2009;95:1635–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Critchley JA, Capewell S. Mortality risk reduction associated with smoking cessation in patients with coronary heart disease: a systematic review. JAMA. 2003;290:86–97.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Balady GJ, Williams MA, Ades PA, et al. Core components of cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention programs: 2007 update. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association Exercise, Cardiac Rehabilitation, and Prevention Committee; the Council on Clinical Cardiology; the Councils on Cardiovascular Nursing, Epidemiology and Prevention, and Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism; and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Circulation. 2007;115:2675–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Thompson PD, Franklin BA, Balady GJ, et al. Exercise and acute cardiovascular events: placing the risks into perspective. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism and the Council on Clinical Cardiology. Circulation. 2007;115:2358–68.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Leon AS, Franklin BA, Costa F, et al. Cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. An American Heart Association scientific statement from the Council on Clinical Cardiology (Subcommittee on Exercise, Cardiac Rehabilitation, and Prevention) and the Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism (Subcommittee on Physical Activity), in Collaboration with the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Circulation. 2005;111:369–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Linke A, Erbs S, Hambrecht R. Exercise and the coronary circulation – alterations and adaptations in coronary artery disease. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2006;48:270–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) final report. Circulation. 2002;106:3143–421.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Alberti KG, Eckel RH, Grundy SM, et al. Harmonizing the metabolic syndrome: a joint interim statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association; World Heart Federation; International Atherosclerosis Society; and International Association for the Study of Obesity. Circulation. 2009;120:1640–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Chobanian AV, Bakris GL, Black HR, et al. National High Blood Pressure Education Program Coordinating Committee. The seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure: the JNC 7 Report. JAMA. 2003;289:2560–72.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Rosendorff C, Black HR, Cannon CP, et al. Treatment of hypertension in the prevention and management of ischemic heart disease: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Council for High Blood Pressure Research and the Councils on Clinical Cardiology and Epidemiology and Prevention. Circulation. 2007;115:2761–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Law MR, Morris JK, Wald NJ. Use of blood pressure-lowering drugs in the prevention of cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis of 147 randomized trials in the context of expectations from prospective epidemiological studies. BMJ. 2009;338:b1665.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. ACCORD Study Group, Cushman WC, Evans GW, Byington RP, et al. Effects of intensive blood-pressure control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med. 2010;362:1575–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Nissen SE, Tuzcu EM, Libby P, et al. Effect of antihypertensive agents on cardiovascular events in patients with coronary disease and normal blood pressure: the CAMELOT study: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2004;292:2217–25.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hansson L, Zanchetti A, Carruthers SG, et al. Effects of intensive blood-pressure lowering and low-dose aspirin in patients with hypertension: principal results of the Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) randomized trial. HOT Study Group. Lancet. 1998;351:1755–62.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Pepine CJ, Handberg EM, Cooper-DeHoff RM, et al. A calcium antagonist vs a non-calcium antagonist hypertension treatment strategy for patients with coronary artery disease. The International Verapamil-Trandolapril Study (INVEST): a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2003;290:2805–16.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Yusuf S, Sleight P, Pogue J, Bosch J, Davies R, Dagenais G. Effects of an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor, ramipril, on cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. The Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation Study Investigators. N Engl J Med. 2000;342:145–53.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Fox KM. European trial on reduction of cardiac events with Perindopril in stable coronary Artery disease Investigators. Efficacy of perindopril in reduction of cardiovascular events among patients with stable coronary artery disease: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial (the EUROPA study). Lancet. 2003;362:782–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Grundy SM, Cleeman JI, Merz CN, et al. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American College of Cardiology Foundation; American Heart Association. Implications of recent clinical trials for the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. Circulation. 2004;110(2):227–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Cholesterol Treatment Trialists’ (CTT) Collaboration. Efficacy and safety of more intensive lowering of LDL cholesterol: a meta-analysis of data from 170,000 participants in 26 randomized trials. Lancet. 2010;376:1670–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Lipid Research Clinics Program. The lipid research clinics coronary primary prevention trial results. I. Reduction in the incidence of coronary heart disease. JAMA. 1984;251:351–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Lipid Research Clinics Program. The lipid research clinics coronary primary prevention trial results. II. The relationship of reduction in incidence of coronary heart disease to cholesterol lowering. JAMA. 1984;251:365–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Coronary Drug Project Research Group. Clofibrate and niacin in coronary heart disease. JAMA. 1975;231:360–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Brown G, Albers JJ, Fisher LD, et al. Regression of coronary artery disease as a result of intensive lipid-lowering therapy in men with high levels of apolipoprotein B. N Engl J Med. 1990;323:1289–98.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Brown BG, Zhao XQ, Chait A, et al. Simvastatin and niacin, antioxidant vitamins, or the combination for the prevention of coronary disease. N Engl J Med. 2001;345:1583–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Blankenhorn DH, Nessim SA, Johnson RL, Sanmarco ME, Azen SP, Cashin-Hemphill L. Beneficial effects of combined colestipol-niacin therapy on coronary atherosclerosis and coronary venous bypass grafts. JAMA. 1987;257:3233–40.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Carlson LA, Hamsten A, Asplund A. Pronounced lowering of serum levels of lipoprotein Lp(a) in hyperlipidaemic subjects treated with nicotinic acid. J Intern Med. 1989;226:271–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Rubins HB, Robins SJ, Collins D, For the Veterans Affairs High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Intervention Trial Study Group, et al. Gemfibrozil for the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in men with low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. N Engl J Med. 1999;341:410–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Frick MH, Elo MO, Haapa K, et al. Helsinki Heart Study: primary prevention trial with gemfibrozil in middle-aged men with dyslipidemia: safety of treatment, changes in risk factors, and incidence of coronary heart disease. N Engl J Med. 1987;317:1237–45.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. ACCORD Study Group (Members of the ACCORD Study Group writing committee are Henry N. Ginsberg, Marshall B. Elam, Laura C. Lovato, John R. Crouse III, Lawrence A. Leiter, Peter Linz, William T. Friedewald, John B. Buse, Hertzel C. Gerstein, Jeffrey Probstfield, Richard H. Grimm, Faramarz Ismail-Beigi, J. Thomas Bigger, David C. Goff, Jr., William C. Cushman, Denise G. Simons-Morton, and Robert P. Byington, Ph.D). Effects of combination lipid therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med. 2010;362:1563–74.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Filion KB, El Khoury F, Bielinski M, Schiller I, Dendukuri N, Brophy JM. Omega-3 fatty acids in high-risk cardiovascular patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2010;10:24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Bays HE, Neff D, Tomassini JE, Tershakovec AM. Ezetimibe: cholesterol lowering and beyond. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2008;6:447–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Berger J, Roncaglioni M, Avanzini F, Pangrazzi I, Tognoni G, Brown D. Aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular events in women and men: a sex-specific meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA. 2006;295:306–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Campbell CL, Smyth S, Montalescot G, Steinhubl SR. Aspirin dose for the prevention of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review. JAMA. 2007;297:2018–24.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Ridker P, Cook N, Lee I, et al. A randomized trial of low-dose aspirin in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in women. N Engl J Med. 2005;352:1293–304.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Mosca L, Banka CL, Benjamin EJ. Evidence-based guidelines for cardiovascular disease prevention in women: 2007 update. Circulation. 2007;115:1481–501.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Rafferty M, Walters MR, Dawson J. Anti-platelet therapy and aspirin resistance – clinically and chemically relevant? Curr Med Chem. 2010;17:4578–86.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Agewall S, Badimon L, Drouet L, et al. Oral antiplatelet agents in ACS: from pharmacology to clinical differences. Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 2011;25:564–71.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Squizzato A, Keller T, Romualdi E, Middeldorp S. Clopidogrel plus aspirin versus aspirin alone for preventing cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;(1):CD005158.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Bhatt DL, Fox KA, Hacke W, For the CHARISMA Investigators, et al. Clopidogrel and aspirin versus aspirin alone for the prevention of atherothrombotic events. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:1706–17.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Abraham NS, Hlatky MA, Antman EM, et al. ACCF/ACG/AHA. ACCF/ACG/AHA 2010 expert consensus document on the concomitant use of proton pump inhibitors and thienopyridines: a focused update of the ACCF/ACG/AHA 2008 expert consensus document on reducing the gastrointestinal risks of antiplatelet therapy and NSAID use: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation Task Force on Expert Consensus Documents. Circulation. 2010;122:2619–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Anderson JL, May HT, Horne BD, et al. Relation of Vitamin D deficiency to cardiovascular risk factors, disease status, and incident events in a general healthcare population. Am J Cardiol. 2010;106:963–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Executive Writing Committee (Members of the American Heart Association Executive Writing Committee are Lori Mosca, Emelia J. Benjamin, Kathy Berra, Judy L. Bezanson, Rowena J. Dolor, Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, L. Kristin Newby, Ileana L. Piña, Véronique L. Roger, Leslee J. Shaw, Dong Zhao, Theresa M. Beckie, Cheryl Bushnell, Jeanine D’Armiento, Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Jing Fang, Theodore G. Ganiats, Antoinette S. Gomes, Clarisa R. Gracia, Constance K. Haan, Elizabeth A. Jackson, Debra R. Judelson, Ellie Kelepouris, Carl J. Lavie, Anne Moore, Nancy A. Nussmeier, Elizabeth Ofili, Suzanne Oparil, Pamela Ouyang, Vivian W. Pinn, Katherine Sherif, Sidney C. Smith Jr, George Sopko, Nisha Chandra-Strobos, Elaine M. Urbina, Viola Vaccarino and Nanette K. Wenger). Effectiveness-based guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in women – 2011 update: a guideline from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2011;123:1243–62.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Kappelle PJ, van Tol A, Wolffenbuttel BH, Dullaart RP. Cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibition in cardiovascular risk management: ­ongoing trials will end the confusion. Cardiovasc Ther. 2010 Jul 14; [Epub ahead of print].

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel Duprez MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Duprez, D. (2012). Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease. In: Vlodaver, Z., Wilson, R., Garry, D. (eds) Coronary Heart Disease. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1475-9_29

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1475-9_29

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-1474-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-1475-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics