Guidelines for prevention of cardiovascular disease in women: a summary of recommendations.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality in women. The first evidence-based guidelines for the prevention of CVD in women were developed in 2004 and updated this year. The 2007 guidelines place more emphasis on women's overall lifetime coronary heart disease risk, as opposed to short-term absolute risk, than did the 2004 recommendations. Depending on the criteria met, women are classified as being at high risk, at risk, or at optimal risk. The authors provide an overview of the recommendations in the 3 different categories: lifestyle interventions, major risk factor interventions, and preventive drug interventions.