It will increasingly be the CV specialists who create and disseminate guidelines for primary therapy of the various risk factors for atherosclerosis – and that includes, Cerebrovascular, coronary, and peripheral vascular disease.

Advocacy: CV specialists must be leaders in creation of heart-healthy public policies. Governments listen when specialist societies recommend changes in legislation in the public interest, be it food labeling, restriction of salt and other additives, school lunch programs, or community recreation facilities. Advocate in your schools for healthy snacks or meals if they are provided. Support daily physical education in the schools. This is one time when you must become involved in your community and country. I would add one further role of the specialist and that is to advocate for appropriate data collection and surveillance so that healthy public policies are actually evidence-based.

Finally, CV specialists see individual patients but have role in prevention within families. It will be up to you to treat children referred for therapy of elevated risk factors.

Remember the moniker EAT – it is one of the few times that I will be advocating such an approach for CVDs!