[Evidence-based medicine in cardiology with an example of secondary prevention of coronary heart disease].
The fear that application of EBM could lead to a cook-book type medicine has not been substantiated. The challenge is to evaluate and treat the individual patient according to his/her particular situation. The goal of secondary prevention is the reduction of the global risk. As patients with coronary artery diseases have a high event rate (> 20% in 10 years), intensive measures with proven benefit for risk reduction should be undertaken. Guidelines of national or European societies are helpful for the daily routine. However, the application of these guidelines is less widely used than expected which leads to less than optimal treatment. This is a universal phenomenon. The reasons may differ in different countries. Financial problems may be one limiting factor. However, the overal costeffectiveness of these measures for the social system is usually not taken into account. Educational efforts directed to patients, physicians and health care providers will be necessary to overcome this problem.
Gohlke
H
H
Klinische Kardiologie II, Herz-Zentrum Bad Krozingen.
D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005060:Europe; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000592:standards; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D011315:Preventive Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D012307:Risk Factors