Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) currently represent the most common cause of death in developed countries, including the Czech Republic. Their common denominator is atherosclerosis.
Most significant CVD risk factors include arterial hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Both disorders are highly prevalent in our society; their treatment is mostly life-long and unfortunately inadequate in our country.
The mutual effects of both on pathological processes do not add up in the same way as in other risk factors, but multiply. Both diseases are asymptomatic for a long time, and may be fatal even in their first manifestation.
Secondary prevention of CVDs uses both pharmacological and non- -pharmacological methods in order to attain clearly defined objectives that become increasingly rigid as a result of changing recommendations. Patient adherence, compliance and persistence is inevitably essential throughout the entire therapeutic management.
Most recent therapeutic recom-mendations of both hypertension and dyslipidaemia continue the trend of combined therapies and extend the possibilities of their use. Fixed-dose combinations result in markedly improved patient adherence to and persistence in treatment.
This article will focus on the possibilities for fixed combinations in arterial hypertension and dyslipidaemia as secondary prevention of CVDs.