Medical education--communicating best practice.
There is unequivocal evidence that reduction of modifiable risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD), such as elevated serum cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking, decreases cardiovascular mortality. However, levels of intervention appear to be poor and there is often little evidence of a combined multiple risk factor approach to intervention, which is likely to be the optimal way to lower a patients overall risk of developing CHD. Attention has recently focused on bridging the gap between knowledge in the field of preventive cardiology and its application in everyday clinical practice. This can only be accomplished by the development of uncomplicated, practical guidelines that are evidenced-based and that provide specific targets for risk factors and indications for drug therapy.