Overview
- Analysis of more than 9 million Korean health records and about 7,000 U.S. records, published in JACC, found nearly all first heart attacks, strokes and heart‑failure cases followed at least one traditional risk marker.
- Hypertension was the most common factor, present in roughly 93–95% of people who later experienced a first cardiovascular event.
- Over 90% had at least one prior marker at non‑optimal levels below classic disease thresholds, and most carried two or more uncontrolled risks.
- The findings align with American Heart Association guidance to prioritize primary prevention through lifestyle measures and control of blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose.
- A review cited in coverage found only about 4% of people meet ideal cardiovascular‑health metrics, highlighting a large prevention gap as events without classical risks remain uncommon.