Dr. Valentín Fuster, director of the National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) and Physician in Chief of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, has visited the Cima to give, in front of more than 200 professionals, the 100th clinical session of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra.

Having just arrived from New York, Dr. Fuster spoke on how to better prevent cardiovascular disease. One of the ways is to get ahead of them. In this sense, the research and the use of technology in hospitals is essential so that specialists can detect these pathologies as early as possible.

"Vascular diseases are silent diseases. But from a very early age we can tell that something is starting to go wrong. For people between the ages of 25 and 50, the challenge is to know if they are developing cardiovascular disease before it manifests itself," said Dr. Fuster during his session, entitled "instructions health science: image, Genetics and behavior."

In the opinion of the Physician in Chief of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, "we treat the disease too late and this is very expensive. In fact, mortality in the United States is increasing for the first time due to cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, physicians should encourage prevention".

Improving living habits

During his talk, lecture, he warned that "we consider normal some things that are not normal, such as smoking". And he urged people to improve their lifestyle habits, such as taking care of their diet and practicing sports, with the aim of contributing to maintaining good cardiovascular health, goal .

The diseases that lead to heart attacks and atherosclerosis begin at around 15 years of age, evolve and begin to develop complications after the age of 40. "It is fundamental to take care of oneself, modify behavior and encourage a change in healthy habits, to help prevent the risk factors that lead to cardiovascular diseases: obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, inadequate nutrition and lack of physical exercise."

In his opinion, "one of the most important challenges facing society worldwide is to prevent the onset of diseases from childhood, hence the importance of Education in healthy habits from the age of three". He also emphasized the need to implement programs for adults.

The doctor sent a message to the professionals who attended his lecture: "You have to motivate young people, you have to lead projects research. If the projects are strong, the funding comes. We have to be constantly building this partnership".

Brief profile by Dr. Valentín Fuster de Carulla

Dr. Valentín Fuster is director general of the Carlos III National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) and director of high school Cardiovascular and Physician in Chief of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. He is also publisher chief of the Journal of American College of Cardiology.