Atherosclerosis brings about cardiovascular diseases and is the world's largest cause of death. Risk factors are to be considered in their incidence and correlation to various pathologies. Cholesterolaemia, smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol are held to be the most important risk factors. Hypercholesterolaemia involves a greater incidence of coronary heart disease; studies on cholesterol reduction however did not give evidence of any reduction in overall mortality. Alcohol displays an u-shaped relation between levels of assumption and associated mortality, depending on the fact that moderate drinkers show decreasing mortality scores and even a decreasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases (while the curve inflects upwards for serious drinkers). A direct correlation appears instead between both smoking and sedentary life on the one hand and both cardiovascular pathologies and mortality on the other. In order to reduce the risk factors' influence, on the ground of available studies and published trials do the authors offer practical indications. Fats in diet should be less than 30% of total calories (where of 10% saturated, 10% monounsaturated, 10% polyunsaturated); abstention from smoking must be absolute; alcohol should not exceed 15 g/die; some physical activity should be practised for 40-60 minutes, twice a week.