Cardiovascular diseases are core public problem in the large number of developing countries i.e. countries in transition. For last 30 years, in developed countries, particularly in the US, Sweden, Great Britain, Holland, Belgium, cardiovascular diseases have marked permanent and gradual decreasing trend. This is certainly due to successful and detailed assessment of interaction between this disease and life style or social and cultural characteristics of different populations. Besides decreasing trend of 20% for cardiovascular diseases, still ischeamic heart and brain diseases remain the leading cause of death among the population of the third generation (above 65 years of age). Many countries have been applying so called Specific Preventive Programmes as the result of their long-term and organised work on suppressing the cardiovascular diseases. The focus of these programmes is directed on changing the life-style and eliminating the relevant risk factors such as food, tobacco etc. Hereby authors are giving critical assessment concerning the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in Bosnia and Herzegovina and life risks characteristic for the population of our country in the post-war period. The presentation gives conceptual and organisational aspect of prevention of these diseases through the outpatient health system and family medicine teams, which are to achieve expected and satisfying results in the area of prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: cardiovascular diseases, risk factors, prevention programme, Bosnia and Herzegovina, PZZ, family medicine teams