Trends in cardiovascular risk profiles.

Outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have improved in the past 20 years likely due to advances in clinical care such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, antiplatelet agents, and reduced time to cardiac cauterization procedures. But how have the risk factors for CAD changed in the past 2 decades? Analysis of nearly 4,000 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at a tertiary care center found that patients presenting with acute STEMI are younger and more obese than in the past. The prevalence of smoking, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus is also increasing. Primary and secondary prevention and aggressive efforts to modify risk factors for CAD is essential for further improvement in cardiovascular outcomes.