With increasing ageing in Western populations, what are the prospects for lowering the incidence of coronary heart disease?

摘要

Coronary heart disease (CHD), rare in the early 1900s, in the 1970s was responsible for almost a third of deaths in Western populations. Although its mortality rate has fallen in the last 20 years, considerably in certain populations, it remains the leading cause of death, and there is little evid- ence of any fall in its incidence rate. The prim- ary risk factors, which include pattern of diet, smoking practice, and level of physical activity, are well known, but explain only - 50/100 of variation in its occurrence.