Tools- of Changes

Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Risk Factor Management Among Midlife and Older Adults

This scientific statement from the American Heart Association presents evidence of effective behavioral intervention programs that are feasible for adoption in primary care settings for cardiovascular disease prevention and risk management in middle-aged and older adults. It also highlights resources, practical approaches to appropriately engage and refer patients to these programs, and opportunities to enhance them.

The statement is based on a review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews of primary care feasible intervention trials published from January 2005 through July 2020, using a review-of-reviews methodology. It only included reviews that covered randomized clinical trials of behavioral counseling interventions on diet and nutrition, physical activity (PA), or a combination thereof that were conducted with adult populations with increased risk of CVD, aged 40 and older, with a minimum follow-up time of 6 months after baseline for outcome assessment.