Lifestyle in Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Globally, the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is still increasing. However, in recent decades, better treatment modalities have led to less cardiovascular related deaths. After years of research, we now generally accept that lifestyle factors are the most important risk factors for the burden of CVD and lifestyle is a target for preventive treatment strategies. Lifestyle has a prominent role in health care and patient-related outcomes such as quality of life, physical and psychosocial functioning. Via promoting a healthy lifestyle in the setting of primary prevention the risk of developing CVD can be significantly reduced. To reduce cardiovascular risks it is essential to provide resources for lifestyle changes besides established medical therapy. These resources should be intertwined in the setting of primary and secondary prevention to achieve the highest effectivity in stimulating individuals to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors. There is increased interest in using psychological intervention programs for CVD, in which stress management and behavioral changes play an important role. Increased attention is also being paid to potential beneficial mind-body practices. These practices such as meditation, mindfulness training, relaxation or breathing exercises and yoga are increasingly popular in the general population and more commonly used in the western world. In this thesis, our aim was to evaluate and provide insight in the current role of lifestyle behaviours and lifestyle factors in CVD. Additionally, we aimed to improve our knowledge of the effectiveness of selected lifestyle interventions in individuals with, or at increased risk of developing CVD.