[Fighting mortality from cardiovascular disease: A challenge to society].

Despite the progress of recent years, cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death throughout Europe, including Portugal. In recent decades there has been a progressive reduction in mortality from cardiovascular disease, the reasons for which include preventive measures and legislation such as smoking bans, healthier lifestyles, campaigns and actions by medical and health organizations, advances in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes and stroke, and the implementation of programs designed to improve access to specialized health care. This issue of the Journal contains two articles by Miguel Soares-Oliveira and colleagues presenting the results of the implementation in Portugal of an acute stroke emergency response system and of a national automated external defibrillator (AED) program. The first article, produced in collaboration with the Stroke Group of the North Regional Health Administration, entitled ‘‘Implementation of a regional system for the