[Secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases]

Secondary prevention includes all measures to lower the risk of a relapse of a specific disease. For secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases general measures and specific drug therapy are employed, according to the individual risk pattern. Among the general measures cessation of smoking is most important. In addition, an increase in daily exercise, a normalization of body weight and a healthy diet all lower the cardiovascular risk. For most cases secondary prevention includes also specific drug therapies. Aspirin, statins and beta-blockers are the cornerstones of this drug therapy. After myocardial infarction most patients will also benefit from an ACE-inhibitor therapy.