Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and disability in developed countries. According to WHO, an estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, representing 32% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% were due to major adverse cardiac and cerebral events. Early detection and care for individuals at high risk could save lives, alleviate suffering, and diminish economic burden associated with these diseases. Carotid artery disease is not only a well-established risk factor for ischemic stroke, contributing to 10%-20% of strokes or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), but it is also a surrogate marker of generalized atherosclerosis and a predictor of cardiovascular events. In addition to diligent history, physical examination, and laboratory detection of metabolic abnormalities leading to vascular changes, imaging of carotid arteries adds very important information in assessing stroke and overall cardiovascular risk. Spanning from carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) measurements in arteriopathy to plaque burden, morphology and biology in more advanced disease, imaging of carotid arteries could help not only in stroke prevention but also in ameliorating cardiovascular events in other territories (e.g. in the coronary arteries). While ultrasound is the most widely available and affordable imaging methods, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), their combination and other more sophisticated methods have introduced novel concepts in detection of carotid plaque characteristics and risk assessment of stroke and other cardiovascular events. However, in addition to robust progress in usage of these methods, all of them have limitations which should be taken into account. The main purpose of this consensus document is to discuss pros but also cons in clinical, epidemiological and research use of all these techniques.

• Keywords
• Atherosclerosis, CT, Carotid artery, MRI, PET, US,
• MeSH
• Carotid Arteries diagnostic imaging   pathology   MeSH
• Plaque, Atherosclerotic * complications   MeSH
• Atherosclerosis * pathology   MeSH
• Stroke * diagnostic imaging   etiology   prevention & control   MeSH
• Carotid Intima-Media Thickness MeSH
• Cardiology * MeSH
• Consensus MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Carotid Artery Diseases * complications   diagnostic imaging   therapy   MeSH
• Positron-Emission Tomography MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH

Reflections of preventive cardiology history, it´s development and look to the future are mentioned. The main problems of primary and secondary prevention for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are presented. New ways to the prevention improvement are sketched in the field of physician care, inside the whole society and throught the new technologies.

• Keywords
• life style, lifestyle, preventive cardiology, primary and secondary prevention, risk factors for atherosclerosis,
• MeSH
• Atherosclerosis * MeSH
• Cardiology * MeSH
• Cardiovascular Diseases * prevention & control   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Forecasting MeSH
• Secondary Prevention MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

2021 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice provides a comprehensive view on preventive cardiology. It presents strategies to reduce the burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), both at the individual level and at the population level. Healthy lifestyle and aggressive control of cardiovascular risk factors remain the cornerstone of prevention. Classification of individuals into risk groups based on their clinical characteristics followed by a stepwise treatment-intensification is a novel recommended approach. Updated risk charts - SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP - are intended for estimation of 10-year fatal and non-fatal CVD risk in apparently healthy individuals. Targets and goals for LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and glycaemic control remain as recommended in recent ESC Guidelines.

• Keywords
• SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular risk factors, doppler ultrasound of uterine artery, healthy lifestyle, prevention, treatment,
• MeSH
• Atherosclerosis * drug therapy   MeSH
• Cardiology * MeSH
• Cardiovascular Diseases * epidemiology   MeSH
• Cholesterol, LDL MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors * therapeutic use   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Cholesterol, LDL MeSH
• Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors * MeSH

Congenital coronary artery anomalies are of major significance in clinical cardiology and cardiac surgery due to their association with myocardial ischaemia and sudden death. Such anomalies are detectable by imaging modalities and, according to various definitions, their prevalence ranges from 0.21 to 5.79%. This consensus document from the Development, Anatomy and Pathology Working Group of the European Society of Cardiology aims to provide: (i) a definition of normality that refers to essential anatomical and embryological features of coronary vessels, based on the integrated analysis of studies of normal and abnormal coronary embryogenesis and pathophysiology; (ii) an animal model-based systematic survey of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate coronary blood vessel development; (iii) an organization of the wide spectrum of coronary artery anomalies, according to a comprehensive anatomical and embryological classification scheme; (iv) current knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying symptoms and signs of coronary artery anomalies, with diagnostic and therapeutic implications. This document identifies the mosaic-like embryonic development of the coronary vascular system, as coronary cell types differentiate from multiple cell sources through an intricate network of molecular signals and haemodynamic cues, as the necessary framework for understanding the complex spectrum of coronary artery anomalies observed in human patients.

• Keywords
• Anatomy, Congenital heart disease, Coronary arteries, Embryology, Pathology,
• MeSH
• Coronary Vessel Anomalies * embryology   pathology   physiopathology   MeSH
• Myocardial Ischemia complications   pathology   MeSH
• Cardiology methods   MeSH
• Coronary Vessels * anatomy & histology   growth & development   pathology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Coronary Artery Disease congenital   pathology   MeSH
• Heart anatomy & histology   physiology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH

Although intravascular ultrasound has been used for decades, its common application in catheterization centres during coronary interventions is very rare and merely reaches few percents. The reason is the lack of randomized trials of its use and often few experiences in evaluation of ultrasound findings. Data based on meta-analysis of observational studies clearly demonstrated the positive effect on the most important parameters for the treatment of patients with ischemic heart disease, such as mortality and incidence of myocardial infarction after coronary interventions. Therefore, according to the latest guidelines for myocardial revascularization of the European Society of Cardiology is level of recommendation in category IIa for the use of intravascular ultrasound. IVUS continues to be an important part of new investigation methods which try to better describe coronary atherosclerosis. Particularly, it is the method NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy) and other new methods of evaluating the composition and mechanical properties of plaque. These facts suggest that IVUS maintains its contribution in time of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and the emphasis put on the functional assessment of coronary stenoses.Key words: coronary atherosclerosis - intravascular ultrasound - percutaneous coronary intervention.

• MeSH
• Myocardial Infarction diagnostic imaging   MeSH
• Ultrasonography, Interventional methods   MeSH
• Cardiology standards   MeSH
• Percutaneous Coronary Intervention instrumentation   MeSH
• Coronary Vessels diagnostic imaging   MeSH
• Coronary Stenosis diagnostic imaging   MeSH
• Practice Patterns, Physicians' standards   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Coronary Artery Disease diagnostic imaging   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH

• Keywords
• Congress, EAS Consensus Panel, EAS FH studies collaboration, Highlights, LDL causes ASCVD, Managing triglycerides, Novel genetic insights, PCSK9 inhibition, Prague,
• MeSH
• Atherosclerosis prevention & control   therapy   MeSH
• Hypercholesterolemia therapy   MeSH
• Immune System MeSH
• Cardiology methods   trends   MeSH
• Cardiovascular Diseases blood   prevention & control   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• PCSK9 Inhibitors MeSH
• Societies, Medical MeSH
• Triglycerides blood   MeSH
• Research Design MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Congress MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• PCSK9 Inhibitors MeSH
• PCSK9 protein, human MeSH Browser
• Triglycerides MeSH

• Keywords
• EACTS, ESC, ST elevation MI, dual antiplatelet therapy,
• MeSH
• Dual Anti-Platelet Therapy standards   MeSH
• ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction diagnosis   epidemiology   therapy   MeSH
• Cardiology standards   MeSH
• Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures standards   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Intersectoral Collaboration MeSH
• Coronary Artery Disease diagnosis   epidemiology   therapy   MeSH
• Practice Guidelines as Topic standards   MeSH
• Societies, Medical standards   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe epidemiology   MeSH