The Lancet: Cardiovascular Disease 2012

This book, featuring content from the Aug 11, 2012, issue of The Lancet, has been released to coincide with the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) meeting in Munich, Germany, which is to be held on Aug 25–29, 2012. The Lancet is strongly supportive of cardiology as can be seen from the substantial relevant content in this compilation. In 2011, The Lancet published more papers in this specialty than any other: cardiovascular research contributed about one in four of all published research papers. Featured within are three research articles on lipids and cardiovascular disease which provide balance on the role of high density lipoproteins in cardiovascular disease, and on statins in prevention of cardiac events. There are also three commissioned reviews being presented at the joint ESC–The Lancet session at the Munich meeting that are focused on hypertension. It is estimated that some 40% of the adult population around the world will have high blood pressure, and it is well established that hypertension is strongly associated with other cardiovascular outcomes. Hypertension is by no means a problem only in high-income countries—one of the reviews reports on the prevalence of high blood pressure in low-income and middle-income countries, and on specific health problems and solutions in these countries. The interrelation between hypertension and diabetes (another disease that is rapidly becoming more prevalent) is examined in a second review. In light of the high prevalence and subsequent outcomes it is important to be able to treat hypertension effectively, and the third review discusses drugs and devices that have recently reached the market or are in development. These reviews have been commissioned with the advice and help of Lars H Lindholm.