Future of Prevention in Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes collectively represent one of the largest global epidemics ever documented. It is often said that prevention is better than cure, but do we know this to be true in practice, and do we have effective and safe methods of prevention? Are current strategies sufficient or are new approaches needed to tackle the problem? What is the role of screening, the use of medicine in preventive medicine and the use of the tax system to promote health and well being? What is medicalization and is this to be avoided? Cardiovascular disease provides an excellent case study for the examination of these issues.

The Royal Society of Medicine's symposium on the future of prevention of cardiovascular disease critically examines these issues, including the pros and cons of the Polypill. It looks at the broader setting of a society that promotes unhealthy lifestyles and seeks to define the way forward for prevention of the disease. The proceedings of the symposium offer a fresh and bold look into our approach to preventive medicine, suggesting that new thinking and positive action are urgently needed.

The proceedings will be of interest to GPs, public health specialists, cardiologists, vascular specialists, service commissioners, epidemiologists, nutritionists, clinical pharmacologists, pharmacists and nurses who work in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The content will also engage the attention of policy makers and politicians.

Also available in the Jephcott Symposium and Lecture Series

Medical Education

Jephcott Series

Nicholas Wald/David Misselbrook