01398nas a2200205 4500000000100000008004100001260001600042100001300058700001200071700001100083700001300094700001900107700001500126245012400141250001500265300001200280490000700292520084700299020004601146 2009 d c656660807991 aMcKee M.1 aLock K.1 aTeo K.1 aYusuf S.1 aSubramanian S.1 aChow Clara00aEnvironmental and societal influences acting on cardiovascular risk factors and disease at a population level: a review a2009/03/06 a1580-940 v383 a

It has long been known that cardiovascular disease (CVD) rates vary considerably among populations, across space and through time. It is now apparent that most of the attributable risk for myocardial infarction 'within' populations from across the world can be ascribed to the varying levels of a limited number of risk factors among individuals in a population. Individual risk factors (e.g. blood pressure) can be modified with resulting health gains. Yet, the persistence of large international variations in cardiovascular risk factors and resulting CVD incidence and mortality indicates that there are additional factors that apply to 'populations' that are important to understand as part of a comprehensive approach to CVD control. This article reviews the evidence on why certain populations are more at risk than others.

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