Estimates of Cardiovascular Risks and Benefits — When Knowing Is Not Enough

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of global mortality, with over 19.8 million deaths in 2022, many of which were premature and preventable. This editorial highlights the critical role of five key risk factors hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes, and smoking in determining lifetime cardiovascular risk. A large-scale study involving 2 million participants across 39 countries revealed that individuals with all five risk factors faced nearly double the lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease and a decade shorter life expectancy compared to those without these risks. The editorial emphasizes that while knowledge of these risks is essential, actionable strategies such as hypertension control and smoking cessation are crucial for improving outcomes. It also calls for further research into unmeasured factors like genetic predisposition and social determinants of health to refine risk prediction and prevention efforts.

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of global mortality, with over 19.8 million deaths in 2022, many of which were premature and preventable. This editorial highlights the critical role of five key risk factors hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes, and smoking in determining lifetime cardiovascular risk. A large-scale study involving 2 million participants across 39 countries revealed that individuals with all five risk factors faced nearly double the lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease and a decade shorter life expectancy compared to those without these risks. The editorial emphasizes that while knowledge of these risks is essential, actionable strategies such as hypertension control and smoking cessation are crucial for improving outcomes. It also calls for further research into unmeasured factors like genetic predisposition and social determinants of health to refine risk prediction and prevention efforts.