[European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice. CEIPC 2008 Spanish Adaptation]

[Basic guidelines for detecting sedentarism and recommendations for physical activity in primary care]

The detection of physical inactivity in adults, using simple and useful tools is primary objective in both public health and in clinical settings, since this risk factor is one of the major causes of non-communicable disease in the world, and is very prevalent in developed societies such as in Spain. Two validated instruments are described that are simple and useful for detecting and/or monitoring physical inactivity in adults: (i)the international physical activity questionnaire in its short version, and (ii)the pedometer to measure the number of steps taken in a day. Increased levels of physical activity are important for the primary prevention of some chronic diseases (coronary heart disease, type2 diabetes, osteoporosis, colon cancer) and to improve the quality of life. Medical personnel must determine the motivation level and the availability of patients and their families to change their behavior towards physical activity. Moderate-intensity physical activities have hardly any contraindications and the risks are few.

[Cardiovascular risk factors and Primary Care: evaluation and intervention]

There is high prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors (MCVRF) in Spain, equal or greater than the rest of the countries in Europe, with a tendency to increase, while the their control is in general sub-optimal. In the clinical setting, and in Primary Care clinics in particular, preventive activities and early detection (screening) of MCVRF that are well established by the scientific evidence should be carried out. Smoking should be tackled and treated with decisively, even more so in the context of the favourable current legislation. The measurement of risk factors makes it easy to take decisions in clinical practice, but should not be substituted for clinical judgement, given the limitation of the currently available calculation methods. The concept of overall focus on cardiovascular risks can obtain a reduction of the risk by the synergetic action on the different MCVRF in each individual case. The aim must be to reduce the probability of having a cardiovascular disease in the future, as well as the loss in quality of life, incapacity and associated mortality.