Harmonized Clinical Guidelines on Prevention of Atherosclerotic Vascular DiseaseINTERNATIONALATHEROSCLEROSISSOCIETYEXECUTIVE SUMMARYInternational Atherosclerosis Society (IAS) Harmonized Clinical Guidelines on Prevention of Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease were prepared by the IAS Executive Board. The guidelines were ratified by a majority of member societies of the IAS.Printed in March 2003INTERNATIONALATHEROSCLEROSISSOCIETYHarmonized Clinical Guidelines on Prevention of Atherosclerotic Vascular DiseaseEXECUTIVE SUMMARYInternational Atherosclerosis SocietyThe International Atherosclerosis Society (IAS), incorporated in 1979, promotes, at an international level, the advancement of science, research, and teaching in the field of atherosclerosis and related disease. The IAS endeavors to achieve these objectives by promoting the exchange of existing knowledge; encouraging new research ventures and interdisciplinary approaches; establishing visiting fellowships for young investigators; fostering the dissemination of knowledge by organising international symposia, workshops, courses, and meetings; and through the association with a scientific journal.Membership is open to active researchers who join one of the 50 IAS national or regional constituent societies or who join as individual members from countries without a national affiliated society. There are 10,265 individual members of the IAS.These members are represented in the IAS by the Executive Board.This board is elected by representatives of the 50 constituent societies. It consists of 10 members including the officers of the IAS, members at large, the president of the upcoming International Symposium on Atherosclerosis, and the senior adviser.Executive BoardPRESIDENT: Heiner Greten, M.D., Direktor, Zentrum fr Innere Medizin, Medizinische Klinik I, Martinistrasse 52, D-20246 Hamburg (Germany)PAST PRESIDENT: Rodolfo Paoletti, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan (Italy)PRESIDENT ELECT: Scott M. Grundy, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Center for Human Nutrition, Room Y3-206, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas TX 75390 (USA)SECRETARY: Jean-Charles Fruchart, Ph.D., Unit de Recherches sur les Lipoprotines et lAthrosclerose - U 325 INSERM IPL, Institut Pasteur de Lille, 1 rue du Professeur Calmette - BP 245, F-59019 Lille Cedex (France)TREASURER: Walter F. Riesen, M.D., Direktor, Institut fr Klinische Chemie und Hmatologie, Kantonsspital, CH - 9007 St. Gallen (Switzerland)PRESIDENT OF XIII ISA - KYOTO 2003: Yuji Matsuzawa, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman and Professor, Department of Internal Medicine and Molecular Science, Osaka University Medical School, 2-2, B-5-, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan)MEMBER AT LARGE (2000-2002): Christian Ehnholm, M.D., National Public Health Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Biomedicum, P.O.B 104, FIN-00251 Helsinki (Finland)MEMBER AT LARGE (2001-2003): Trudy M. Forte, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Molecular and Nuclear Division, Donner Laboratory, Room 315A, University of California, One Cyclotron Road, Berkeley CA 94720 (USA)MEMBER AT LARGE (2002-2004): Gordon R. Campbell, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Anatomy, Director of Research and Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072 (Australia)MEMBER AT LARGE (2003-2005): S. Lale Tokgzoglu, M.D., Professor of Cardiology, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Kuveyet Cad: 9 Kakaklidere, 06540 Ankara (Turkey)SENIOR ADVISER TO THE BOARD: Antonio M. Gotto, Jr. M.D., D.Phil., The Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean, Cornell University, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, Room F105, New York NY 10021 (USA)INTERNATIONAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS SOCIETY HARMONIZED CLINICAL GUIDELINES ON PREVENTION OF ATHEROSCLEROTIC VASCULAR DISEASEExecutive SummaryIntroductionAtherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the foremost killer in developed countries and is becoming increasingly common in developing countries. The major atherosclerotic diseases include coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. The causes of atherosclerotic CVD are multifactorial. Many of the contributing factors are related closely to lifestyle. These include cigarette smoking, atherogenic diets, overweight/obesity, and sedentary life habits (physical inactivity). The International Atherosclerosis Society (IAS) is committed to supporting national public health efforts to decreasing atherosclerotic CVD worldwide by reducing the population burden of these lifestyle factors. In addition the IAS recognizes that some persons in the general population are at higher risk for CVD and require clinical intervention to reduce both CVD morbidity and mortality. Advances in clinical management of such persons make it possible to apprecia