Guest lecture of Prof. Oscar H. Franco, University of Bern, Switzerland
Improvements in healthcare and sociodemographic conditions with subsequent decreases in child and maternal mortality have gradually shaped humankind’s population, its distribution and the reasons we die. Ageing of the population is a global phenomenon accompanied with the increase in non-communicable disorders. Of these, cardiovascular disease (CVD) gradually has consolidated as the number one killer in the world. Cardiovascular disease is not a new disease. Nevertheless, the race against CVD has only elapsed a few decades in modern human history, and despite detailed evaluation and great achievements in the prevention and treatment of this disease it remains a disease of pandemic proportions. In this lecture, we will discuss the history, the current approaches and potential avenues for future prevention of cardiovascular disease.