[Ischemic heart disease: prevention should begin in childhood].

OBJECTIVE To review the main risk factors for ischemic heart disease and preventive strategies during childhood. SOURCES Medline review between 1985 and 2001, and key references from the studies evaluated. CONCLUSIONS Preventive interventions that may start in childhood are described for risk factors such as hyperlipidemias, obesity, smoking and systemic hypertension. Results of early diagnosis and efficiency of interventions are discussed. Recent studies have shown that life styles potentially associated with atherosclerosis begin during childhood. Thus, early intervention regarding these life styles could have impact on adult behavior, reducing the prevalence of this pathologic condition.