Implications of the REACH registry for internal medicine

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease continues to be the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Some of the essential characteristics of this disease are still unknown, even though many risk factors are well established. In addition, there are no exact data on the characteristics of patients at greatest risk of a new atherothrombotic episode. To fill these gaps, the Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) registry has been established. The results of the REACH study confirm the need to understand atherothrombosis as a global disease and not to individualize it according to the diseased vascular bed. From the internist's point of view, the most interesting features are the following: the need for a multidisciplinary approach to the disease, with the participation of various medical and surgical specialties; due to their integrative perspective, internists should be a key figure in this team; the solution to this pandemic of cardiovascular mortality does not lie solely in the hands of health professionals but also requires the involvement of both public administrations and civil society.