Open AccessPrimary prevention of acute coronary events through the adoption of a Mediterranean-style diet
Author(s) -
Demosthenes Panagiotakos,
C. Pitsavos,
Christine Chrysohoou,
C. Stefanadis,
Pavlos Toutouzas
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2002.8.4-5.593
Subject(s) - medicine , mediterranean diet , diabetes mellitus , primary prevention , acute coronary syndrome , disease , life style , coronary heart disease , secondary prevention , sedentary lifestyle , obesity , myocardial infarction , environmental health , endocrinology
We evaluated the role of a Mediterranean-style diet in preventing acute coronary syndromes [ACS]. Data from CARDIO2000, a multi-centre retrospective case-control study investigating the association between ACS and demographic, nutritional, lifestyle and medical risk factors were used. We studied 661 patients hospitalized for a first ACS event and 661 matched controls without clinical suspicion of cardiovascular disease. The Mediterranean diet significantly reduced [by 16%] the risk of developing ACS. The association remained significant in the presence of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes mellitus or a combination of two of these cardiovascular risk factors. Our findings illustrate the importance of the Mediterranean diet in the primary prevention of acute coronary events