1) A study analyzed data from 25 European countries to estimate how many years of life could be gained if systolic blood pressure was reduced by 5 mmHg. 2) The results showed that populations at highest cardiovascular risk, such as those in Eastern Europe, would gain the most years of life from lowering blood pressure levels. 3) The potential benefits depend on a population's overall risk level, not just their current risk factor levels like blood pressure. Targeting prevention efforts at populations with highest risk could optimize strategies to prevent cardiovascular disease.

1. [email_address] Powles J, Shroufi A, Mathers C, Zatonski W, La Vecchia C, Ezzati M. . Eur J Public Health 2009 0:ckp067v1-67; doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckp067 Predicted years of life lost (YLL) from deaths from all vascular causes at ages 30 to 69 occurring in 2002 that would have been averted by sustained reductions of 5 mmHg in mean usual systolic blood pressures, 25 European countries

2. Please find below a brief outline of how my submitted slide meets each of the competition criteria: Presents a clear, focused message that is easy to understand It has already been shown that individuals at greatest risk stand to gain most from cardiovascular disease prevention. This slide demonstrates that the same holds true at the population level. This slide shows that there is a close correlation between absolute benefit and absolute risk at the national level, in both men and women. (top 2 panels) The slide also illustrates that there is no relationship between risk factor levels and absolute benefits (bottom 2 panels) This means that it is overall risk, not risk factor levels that should guide preventive efforts 9at the population level) Pleasing to the eye! The slide conveys a lot of information for the viewer in a concise way. Has the clear potential to help a decision be made (or has realised that potential) Benefits from favourable shifts in vascular risk factors depend on the average level of affected risk, not on risk factor levels. Disadvantaged East European populations have much more to gain from lowering established risk factors, Irrespective of their current risk factor levels and Irrespective of other factors contributing to their vascular disadvantage. Similarly, lower socio-economic strata in the UK have much more to gain (and the cost-effectiveness of preventive programmes will be higher ) from lowering classic risk factors , Irrespective of their current risk factor levels and Irrespective of other factors contributing to their vascular disadvantage. This is consequential for those wishing to optimise population strategies to prevent cardiovascular disease. This should help decision makers make the case for targeting population level cardiovascular preventive measures at those populations which are at greatest cardiovascular risk. Demonstrates one or more of the 10 public health competencies This slide demonstrates competencies in academic public health, including Published peer reviewed papers and applying statistical methods and led to a publication in 2009.