Heart Disease Is Predictable and May Be Preventable

A study is calling attention to the predictable nature of heart disease. Researchers analyzed data from hundreds of thousands of cases of cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and stroke, and they found that having nonoptimal blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood glucose, or the use of tobacco was present in more than 99% of cases. Two or more of these risk factors were present in at least 93% of cases. This study calls into question claims that heart disease can happen without prior warning and shows that preventing these conditions may effectively reduce the rates of heart disease.