[On 31 August 2021, the European Society of Cardiology published its guideline “Prevention of cardiovascular disease in clinical practice”. This guideline provides a comprehensive review about risk factors of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, their assessment, potential modifiers, treatment and prevention of the cardiovascular disease itself at societal and individual levels respectively. The previous guideline issued 2016, had to be updated due to the recent significant advances in risk prediction of cardiovascular disease on atherosclerotic background and due to the beneficial effects of treatment, emerging new drugs and therapeutic targets. The risk assessment system has undergone a major overhaul and now predicts the risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events together over a 10-year horizon and over a lifetime. In the new guideline, age plays a more important role in risk classification than before. The risk assessment and staged management of apparently healthy people or patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and other specific diseases or conditions are detailed. The positive impact of influencing risk factors, the years of life gained can recently be presented in a lifetime perspective, which will help to make an individually tailored decision on the extent of interventions, taking into account also the patient'’s preferences.]

[The primary aim of cardiovascular prevention is to reach adequate blood pressure control. To prevent the development of target organ lesion it is essential to use long-acting, well tolerable drugs without significant side effects. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are popular and excellent preparations but their side effects reduce life long patient compliance. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are effective drugs having unique tolerability and a capability to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality to the same extent as the ACE inhibitors. Especially high risk patients benefit from their combination with thiazide diuretics or with calcium channel blockers. Clinical trials proved that telmisartan can be safely given and well tolerable alone or in combination to high risk cardiovascular patients, in heart and renal, peripheral vascular and cerebrovascular diseases combined or not with diabetes.]

[In the ÉRV Programme of the Hungarian Society of Hypertension hypertensive patients were screened for the presence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Ankle/brachial index (ABI) and major cardiovascular risk factors were recorded before the five years long prospective phase of the program. A total of 21 892 hypertensive men and women (9162 males; mean age: 61.45 years) who were attended at 55 hypertension outpatient clinics in Hungary during a 17 month period, were included in the study. The prevalence of PAD defined by low ABI (≤0.9) was 14.0%. In the two blood pressure target groups (140/90 mmHg and 130/80 mmHg) the ratio of patients with controlled blood pressure was 45% and 33%, respectively. The prevalence of PAD (ABI≤0.9) was 10.9% in the controlled and 16.1% in the uncontrolled group (p<0.0001). During the control visits a significant decrease of blood pressure was observed. ÉRV Registry was initiated for ABI screening in subjects at risk for PAD in the general practice. The prevalence of PAD was 18.3%. The prevalence of PAD (low ABI value) is high in hypertensive patients. Uncontrolled hypertension increases the risk of PAD. The results indicate, that ABI screening is a simple and cost-effective method for the diagnosis of preclinical atherosclerosis, which may improve cardiovascular risk prediction.]

[The process of atherosclerosis nowadays plays an important role in the health care not just as a major cause of the most common cardiovascular diseases which lead to death, but also as a major factor in the loss of age-related elasticity in the blood vessels. Over the past two decades, large studies have shown that the treatment of high cholesterol levels can reduce the frequency of cardiovascular events and death and have confirmed the ability to reduce the already existing atherosclerotic plaque, which is almost unique in pharmacotherapy. Using lipid lowering therapy, if we do it properly, we can not only prevent vascular events, but can also cure atherosclerosis. Currently there are three drug groups (statins, ezetimibe and PCSK9- inhibitors), which have complete evidence that their use can reduce the number of cardiovascular events and plaque regression can be achieved. Despite many convincing clinical trials, lipid-lowering therapy is on the cardiovascular prevention palette in the just tolerated or forced applied category. In order to take advantage of its potentials at an appropriate level, as doctors, we have to approach to it by considering its importance. We should communicate to our patients that it’s about a life-long treatment, which not only can reduce the possibility of cardiovascular events, but also can slow down the aging process of the arteries. ]

[Cardiovascular diseases are still leading cause of death in developed countries. A possible background, atherosclerosis, might appear even in childhood, and deteriorate during the years without any symptoms. The cardiovascular prevention is a complex activity, which can be observed in population or/and in individual level. The conventional screening means the assessment of higher cholesterol level, blood pressure or other risk factors in healthy population without symptoms. The point of clinical risk evaluation is to find patient with high cardiovascular risk and consequentially with the necessity of intensive preventive strategy. For the right cardiovascular screening and adequate evaluation of the risk, it is needed that the doctors who frequently meet with the population execute the above-mentioned risk assessment. Therefore doctors, nurses, and education for preventive aspect would is needed, as education is important to decrease cardiovascular mortality for those patients that were categorized as a high-risk group.]