To estimate the potential benefits of cardiovascular disease intervention programs in Spain, we have computed cardiovascular population mortality fractions and deaths attributable to the main risk factors by using relative risks from international studies and Spanish prevalence and mortality data (subjects of both sexes, aged 25-64). As many as 71% of the cardiovascular deaths studied in men and 44% in women might be delayed every year in Spain if it were possible to eliminate the current exposure of the population to smoking, obesity, sedentariness, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. With the eradication of tobacco exposure 31% of coronary deaths and 16% of stroke deaths in men (7% in both cases for women) might be avoided. Similar actions on sedentariness, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia might delay 17% and 29%, 13% and 13%, and 9% and 11% of deaths, respectively, in males (figures generally somewhat higher in females). These figures would be moderately lower if reductions in the prevalence of these factors are considered realistically. These results may encourage the implementation of strategies against cardiovascular diseases in countries with risk factor prevalence similar to that of Spain.