2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

One of the highlights of ACC 2019 Scientific Sessions was, without a doubt, the release of the highly anticipated primary prevention guideline. This guideline offers important lifestyle-related recommendations to prevent cardiovascular disease, as well as addressing other factors that affect the cardiovascular disease risk.

The guidelines are focused on primary prevention in adults to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), i.e. acute coronary syndromes, myocardial infarction, stable or unstable angina, arterial revascularisation, stroke/transient ischaemic attack, peripheral arterial disease, as well as heart failure and atrial fibrillation. The basis for these new guidelines consists of the most important studies and guidelines for ASCVD outcomes on 9 topics described below per chapter. Table 1 shows the 10 ‘take-home messages’ that summarise the new guidelines [1].

Table 1: The guideline’s take-home messages for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease

AF, atrial fibrillation; ASCVD, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; HF, heart failure.

1. 2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol 2019;March 17. [Epub ahead of print].