Trends in cardiovascular risk factors and their treatment among patients discharged from divisions of internal medicine. The FAPOI-1 and FADOI-2 studies.
BACKGROUND
There is an increasing interest in monitoring cardiovascular risk factor levels and their treatment. Two studies were run in patients discharged from Divisions of Internal Medicine.


METHODS
Two studies, respectively conducted in 1996 and 1999, have collected data on the diagnoses of cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular risk factor levels and treatment in 6450 and 8133 patients (age > or = 35 years) discharged during 1 week from 235 and 345 Italian Divisions of Internal Medicine.


RESULTS
The second survey revealed: a relative increase in heart failure and cerebrovascular disease diagnoses; lower serum levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure mean levels, and a decreased incidence of the habit of smoking among males. The proportion of treated hypertensives (blood pressure > or = 140/90 mmHg, or the use of antihypertensive drugs) increased slightly (65 to 68% among men and 69 to 71% among women). A reduction in the use of ACE-inhibitors was observed, balanced by an increase in the use of angiotensin II antagonists. The proportion of treated dyslipidemic patients (total cholesterol levels > or = 250 mg/dl, or HDL cholesterol levels < 35 mg/dl or triglyceride levels > or = 200 mg/dl or the use of hypolipidemic drugs) significantly increased from 10 to 25% among males and from 12 to 25% among females, due to a substantial increase in the use of statins.


CONCLUSIONS
During a 3-year period increasing attention for cardiovascular risk factors and their treatment among patients discharged from Divisions of Internal Medicine has been documented. In particular, there has been a large increase in the use of statins, although large segments of patients may need further attention and drug treatment.
Di Rosa
Salvatore
S
Division of Internal Medicine, Villa Sofia Hospital, Palermo, Italy.
Iori
Ido
I
Vescovo
Giorgio
G
Puddu
Paolo Emilio
PE
Lanti
Mariapaola
M
Menotti
Alessandro
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003625:Data Collection; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015994:Incidence; D007388:Internal Medicine; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012307:Risk Factors; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D014280:Triglycerides; D003404:Creatinine