Lifestyle Practices in Reducing Cardiovascular Diseases: A Prospective Cohort Study from Pakistan

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of global mortality, especially in individuals with comorbidities like type II diabetes and hypertension. While pharmacological therapies are vital, lifestyle interventions may offer additional benefits in reducing CVD risk. This article aims to evaluate the impact of lifestyle practices, specifically aerobic exercise, dietary modifications, and stress management, on cardiovascular risk factors and the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) over nine months. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled 1000 adult patients (aged 30–60) with either type II diabetes or essential hypertension at a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. Participants were categorized into two groups based on lifestyle adherence: (1) the exposed group, comprising individuals who regularly engaged in aerobic exercise and received dietary and psychological counseling, and (2) the non-exposed group, who did not adopt such practices. Baseline and 9-month follow-up data were collected on BMI, blood pressure, lipid profile, HbA1c, and incidence of MACE. Results: Participants in the exposed group demonstrated significantly greater reductions in BMI, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, LDL, and HbA1c, and significantly higher increases in HDL (p<0.01). MACE incidence was 0.4\% in the exposed group versus 4.8\% in the non-exposed group. Correlation analysis showed significant associations between BMI, blood pressure, HbA1c, lipid levels, and MACE. Conclusion: Combining lifestyle interventions with pharmacologic therapy can significantly improve cardiovascular outcomes in high-risk patients. Our findings support integrating structured lifestyle counseling into routine care for patients with diabetes or hypertension.