Primary prevention of coronary heart disease in general practice: a cross sectional population study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the interventions by general practitioners on cardiovascular risk factors among persons without a history of cardiovascular disease attending for a cardiovascular check-up. All inhabitants of three Belgian towns aged between 45 and 64 years were invited for a cardiovascular check-up and blood test. Of all the attending persons without a history of cardiovascular disease (n = 898), 51% received at least one prescription, diet or health advice: 28% for hyperlipidaemia, 23% for physical activity, 22% for caloric intake, 9% for blood sugar, 5% for blood pressure and 4% for smoking. Interventions on lipoproteins, blood sugar and smoking habits were significantly more often proposed to persons with a medium or high cardiovascular risk compared to those at low cardiovascular risk. For persons at low cardiovascular risk, therapeutic lifestyle changes are often not advised, and isolated risk factors often remain untreated.

Screening for increased cardiometabolic risk in primary care: a systematic review

“…12 In the last 8 years, four of the five existing studies on apparently healthy populations were performed and only two studies in mixed populations were published. 19,20 This finding supports the authors' assumption that people with established CVD, diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidaemia already receive further risk assessment and treatment through existing pathways; therefore screening among them should not be necessary.…”

“…Twenty-one screening programmes were performed in mixed populations ( Table 2). [4][5][6][7][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] The British Family Heart Study reported which part of their study population was not previously diagnosed with coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes. None of the other studies provided any information about the composition of their study population.…”

“…22 Devroey et al reported a rate of 7%; in this study the local authorities invited all inhabitants of three Belgian towns to visit their GP for a health check. 20 The highest response rate was found in the Swedish Västerbotten Intervention Programme, in which all people of a specific age were annually invited.…”

“…14,17,21,22,[25][26][27] Seven studies calculated a cardiovascular risk score for participants: 15,16,[19][20][21]24,28 five studies reported results. 15,19,20,24,28 Apparently healthy people versus a mixed population. The British Family Heart Study Group is the only study performed in a mixed population that separately reports results for their apparently healthy subpopulation.…”

Factors influencing European GPs' engagement in smoking cessation: a multi-country literature review

“…40 Several studies suggest that GPs are more likely to report that they intervene with heavy smokers than light smokers. [41][42][43] Not all studies suggest a greater tendency to advise heavy than light smokers, however, 44 and there is some evidence to suggest that a number of GPs have difficulty with recognising smoking status and level of addiction. 42 Guidelines in many countries suggest that smoking cessation should be raised with pregnant mothers, and this is reflected in practice, with 91% of Scottish GPs, 45 and 94% of Dutch GPs 39 reporting in studies that they would discuss smoking cessation with this group.…”