Cardiovascular diseases represent an important part of the growing public health challenge posed by non-communicable diseases. They are one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in adults worldwide, with more than 500 million prevalent cases and 18.6 million deaths. The origin of cardiovascular diseases is multifactorial, but cardiovascular risk factors, especially arterial hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, are some of the most important causes. In many cases, the identification of these risk factors can lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment, which are emerging problems in primary care.
Overdiagnosis can lead to “labeling” a healthy person, potentially generating anxiety and stigmatization without a clear health benefit. And, for its part, overtreatment can expose the patient to a pharmacological treatment with greater risks than benefits.