Even mild elevations in traditional risk factors are significant and should be addressed through lifestyle changes or medications to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Using higher clinical thresholds for treatment, like blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg, can miss many at-risk individuals, as many have levels above optimal but below treatment cutoffs.

There is a notable gap between 'optimal' and 'clinical' thresholds for risk factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose, with many individuals falling into nonoptimal ranges that still pose risks.

Managing these risk factors is feasible and crucial for prevention, supported by broader medical data showing their prevalence in most cases.

The four major risk factors—blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and tobacco use—are often nonoptimal even when not yet meeting treatment thresholds, emphasizing early intervention.

Current healthcare often focuses more on treatment after cardiovascular events rather than prevention, which could be improved through better risk management and earlier intervention.

A recent study emphasizes that nearly all cardiovascular events are preceded by identifiable and controllable risk factors, underscoring the importance of prevention and early intervention.

The study found that over 93% of patients had two or more risk factors, with hypertension being the most common, affecting more than 93% in the U.S. and 95% in South Korea.

Even women under 60, often perceived as lower risk, showed that over 95% had at least one nonoptimal risk factor before a heart event, highlighting the need for early risk management across all age groups.

Prevention efforts should focus on controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and smoking, along with lifestyle modifications, to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Lifestyle factors such as adequate sleep, exercise, healthy nutrition, stress reduction, and maintaining a healthy weight are essential in lowering cardiovascular risk, alongside medical management.

The study, which analyzed health records over more than a decade, shows these risk factors are present years before the first event, challenging the idea that such events occur without warning.