Luc Djoussé

Luc Djoussé, MD, DSc, MPH, is a cardiovascular epidemiologist. He received his MD from the University of Saarland, Germany and MPH and DSc degrees from Boston University. He is currently an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Associate Professor of Nutrition at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. He also serves as Director of Research in the Division of Aging, Department of Medicine, at Brigham and Women’ Hospital, Boston, and Chief Epidemiologist and Director of Science at MAVERIC, Boston Veterans Affairs. His research focuses on the role of dietary factors including moderate alcohol consumption and other modifiable lifestyle factors on the risk of heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases. He leads the nutrition group within the Million Veteran Program.

Lifestyle Factors and Cardiovascular Disease

Luc Djousse, MD, ScD

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in many developed nations, despite major scientific discoveries and advances in biomedical research. While mortality from CVD has declined from its peak in the late sixties, the global burden of CVD is still high and thus underscores the need to identify cost-effective strategies that can prevent CVD and serve as supplement to medical and surgical management of CVD. Emerging data suggest that modifiable lifestyle factors including healthy dietary patterns, moderate alcohol consumption, not smoking, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and maintaining a healthy weight can favorably influence the risk of developing CVD endpoints and risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. The current presentation will discuss the current state of the scientific evidence on the role of modifiable lifestyle factors on CVD and identify major gaps that will inform and help prioritize future research endeavors.