Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death and disability in developed countries (affecting 20% of males over 40 years old in the USA). Prevention and lowering the risk profile are effective tools for reducing the progression and complications of cardiovascular disease. However, there is scientific evidence that the classic way of evaluating cardiovascular condition is not enough to efficiently prevent disease: population risk, calculated on a statistical basis, must now be reformulated as the individual risk of each person.
Recent prospective studies have shown the importance of structural and functional markers of subclinical cardiovascular disease, such as endothelial function, arterial stiffness and intima media thickness. These markers are independent predictors of cardiovascular events and are a key tool for assessing a patient's individual risk.