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Group highlights importance of heart disease prevention

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Individuals who have received unhealthy cholesterol test results may want to take steps to prevent their condition from progressing to heart disease. A new report states that prevention of heart disease is typically easier than treatment.

The European Society of Cardiology published a guide in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology in which it highlighted the importance of prevention. Additionally, the paper provides information on what heart disease is, how a person develops it and how it can be prevented.

Lifestyle factors are among the most important considerations when it comes to preventing heart disease, the guide states. Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, smoking and excessive stress are among the leading causes of heart disease. However, they are also largely avoidable.

The team said the guide should be used as a resource for all stakeholders in the fight against heart disease. This includes patients, doctors and politicians. Developing a firmer understanding of the importance of prevention throughout society could help prevent many premature deaths each year, as heart disease is currently the leading cause of early mortality.