Why and when to screen for cardiovascular disease in healthy individuals

Abstract

Ischaemic events in the brain, heart and legs remain among the top causes of death and disability, yet the current preventive efforts largely ignore screening as a public health strategy. The inter-relatedness and uniform pathogenesis of CVDs present opportunities for screening that are distinctly different from prior findings, for example, cancer. Screening for more than one condition spares the participant time, effort and possibly anxiety, while possibly enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the system. However, such approaches represent complex public health strategies in which complex criteria should be satisfied before screening is legitimised.

Topics & Concepts