The early identification of individuals at high risk for development of CVD has been a challenging and highly relevant pursuit for clinicians and epidemiologists. The clinical significance of early identification of CAD becomes apparent because several of the cardiac risk factors are modifiable. Numerous studies have been performed to identify risk factors for CVD. These studies resulted in clinical guidelines for identification and risk reduction for CVD, currently summarized in the Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults: Adult Treatment Panel (ATP III). ATP III identifies five major risk factors for CVD: hyperlipidemia, hypertension, current smoking, abdominal obesity, and diabetes; individuals with two or more risk factors are considered at increased risk, although this recommendation may be changed to one risk factor in the upcoming ATP IV.