Managing cardiovascular disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for much of the reduced life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Modification of cardiovascular risk factors is important, especially as calculators may underestimate the absolute risk of a cardiovascular event. Smoking cessation is a key component of primary and secondary prevention. As cardiovascular disease can begin early in life, screening for risk factors from the age of 18 years is recommended. Drug therapy is similar to that for other patients, but may need to be started sooner, particularly as comorbidities are common. Risk factors do not account for all of the increased mortality, so psychosocial and other factors need to be considered.