Cent Eur J Public Health 2011, 19(4):190-196 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3656

Follow-up of a Cardiovascular Prevention Campaign

Dirk Devroey, Ellie Senesael, Tania Moerenhout, Erwin Van De Vijver, Jan Vandevoorde

Department of Family Medicine, University of Brussels (VUB), Brussels, Belgium

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk (CVR) factors and morbidity in a sample of the population that received a brief intervention on cardiovascular prevention seven years ago. All family physicians who participated in the Cardiovascular Prevention Campaign in five Belgian towns in 2002-2003 received a follow-up questionnaire for each participating patient. The questionnaire included questions about new cardiovascular diagnoses, parameters of the latest physical examination and blood tests. Analyses were based on the 318 questionnaires that included essential information such as the date of the latest contact and the new diagnosis or mortality. The proportion of patients with a low CVR decreased from 75% in 2002-2003 to 40% in 2010. Participants showed a significant increase of the abdominal circumference, triglycerides and fasting glycaemia. Only LDL-cholesterol levels decreased significantly (p=0.002). Four percent of the patients died, more male (7%) than female (2%) (p=0.03). One in ten patients presented with a cardiovascular event. Most of the changes are probably attributable to age. It is clear that the long-term effect of a brief intervention only followed by usual care is not sufficient to attain optimal level of cardiovascular prevention.

Keywords: cardiovascular risk, hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, mortality

Received: December 6, 2010; Revised: August 12, 2011; Accepted: August 12, 2011; Published: December 1, 2011  Show citation