Atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis presents many opportunities for the primary care provider (PCP) to positively affect the patient's outcome. The preventable nature of the disease should be a major focus of the PCP's relationship with the patient. Aggressive risk factor reduction clearly is beneficial in CAD and should be addressed at each visit with at-risk patients. Once the disease is established, the PCP's goal is prevention of complications by educating the patient about the disease and by appropriate diagnostic testing and referral when indicated.
Skillings
J
J
Division of Cardiology, Baltimore VA Medical Center, Maryland 21201, USA.
D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods