Editorial: The 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines on the Real-World Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD)

Some of the most challenging guidelines for clinical practice include recommendations for disease prevention, which often involve lifestyle modifications, which may vary between populations. On August 30, 2021, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) published new guidelines for primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), endorsed by 12 European professional societies. Important features of the 2021 ESC guidelines include recommendations for disease prevention in individuals in clinical practice, including in older adults, with and without ASCVD, with diabetes, familial hypercholesterolemia, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Importantly, and for the first time, the updated 2021 ESC guidelines also address the impact of environmental factors, including water, air, and soil pollution, on the risk of ASCVD. This Editorial aims to present and discuss how the latest 2021 ESC guidelines on the prevention of ASCVD have practical real-world applications in clinical practice.