Problems in prevention of ischaemic heart disease

The relevance is discussed of the presence of risk factors and their combinations for the prevalence of ischaemic heart disease in a male urban population. The increasing number of risk factors leads to an increase both in the prevalence and in the incidence of ischaemic heart disease. Hypercholesterolaemia, elevated blood pressure, and tobacco smoking have to be considered the most relevant risk factors. Simultaneous presence of 2-3 of these factors was detected in 36% of the men examined. The authors point out the importance of starting a preventive intervention programme in the Czechoslovak population.