This publication provides guidance on reducing disability and premature deaths fromcoronary heart disease cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease in peopleat high risk who have not yet experienced a cardiovascular event. People with establishedcardiovascular disease are at very high risk of recurrent events and are not the subject ofthese guidelines. They have been addressed in previous WHO guidelines. The riskprediction charts that accompany these guidelines allow treatment to be targeted according to simple predictions of absolute cardiovascular risk. Recommendations are made for management of major cardiovascular risk factors throughchanges in lifestyle and prophylactic drug therapies. The guidelines provide a frameworkfor the development of national guidance on prevention of cardiovascular disease thattakes into account the particular political economic social and medical circumstances. Companion volumes: Pocket guidelines for assessment and management of total cardiovascular risk. WHO/ISH cardiovascular risk prediction charts by regions: African region Americas (available in SPANISH ONLY) Eastern Mediterranean region (available in ARABIC ONLY) European region South-East Asia region Western Pacific region.