Integrated Approach to Prevention of Diseases of Circulation in Pediatrics

Overview

On the basis of many pathological-anatomical, epidemiological, preclinical and clinical studies it has becomeapparent that atherosclerosis, which is the basis of many diseases of circulation at the adult age, is the disease withearly beginning and a long asymptomatic period. The basic risk factors, which influence the origin, speed ofdevelopment and extent of atheromatous lesions in aorta and coronary arteries from the child age include malesex, positive familial cardiovascular history, dyslipoproteinemia, cigarette smoking, hypertension, obesity, diabetesmellitus and lack of physical activity. Primary prevention, which is based on the presumption that modification ofrisk factors from the child age ensues in decreased morbidity and mortality for diseases of circulation at the adultage, may be realized in practice by several ways - the all-population intervention, an individual model of preventionor an integrated approach, which is a combination of selective screening of lipid risk factors and a generalintervention of other risk factors within the framework of routine pediatric care. The basic task of family physicianfor children and adolescents includes setting of a profile of individual cardiovascular risk of the child and a complexintervention of risk factors within the framework of a common pediatric care. The child age is the ideal period forthe beginning of preventive measures, since at that time, various attitudes and habits are formed, which influencefuture cardiovascular risk for the individual.

Key words:
atherosclerosis, risk factors, prevention