Introduction:

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide. They are strongly influenced by some risk factors (RF), some of them modifiable with changes in lifestyle. Of all the RFs, one of the most prevalent in the population is arterial hypertension (AHT), defined by blood pressure values ≥140-90mmHg.

Objectives:

Know the relationship between HTA and the rest RF with the development of different CVDs, identify the ideal threshold to avoid overdiagnosis and overtreatment of HTN, and recognize the importance of good lifestyle habits as prevention.

Results and Discussion:

In the study by FÉLIX-REDONDO et al. it was shown that the most influential RF in CVD was AHT. However, this may vary according to age, as observed by VERA-REMARTÍNEZ et al. with his study, whose mean age was 30 years, and the most prevalent factor was tobacco. The control of lifestyle habits that help reduce both hypertension and the rest of the factors will be beneficial for the primary and secondary prevention of CVD. To avoid overly intensive treatment, a stepwise approach is recommended, starting with prevention goals for all patients, regardless of risk, followed by CVD risk stratification and discussion of the potential benefits of treatment with the patient.

Conclusions:

CVD, specifically ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases, are the main cause of death in the world, so it is very important to control those RFs that accelerate their appearance. The most prevalent of them is high blood pressure.

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