Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death for men and women in this country, surpassing deaths due to all cancers combined. Better awareness of heart disease risk factors and improved treatment modalities has produced great progress in reducing deaths due to myocardial infarction and stroke over the past few decades. Still, more progress is needed, as about half of all first coronary events occur in individuals who have no cardiac symptoms and no previously diagnosed heart disease. The primary care physician, therefore, has an important role in identifying at risk individuals...