Cross-sectional analysis of guidelines on cardiovascular disease risk factors: going to meet the inconsistencies.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the possible inconsistency of statements among the practice guidelines of the Dutch College of General Practitioners (DCGP) with respect to the management of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD).


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of all electronically available DCGP practice guidelines dealing with CVD risk factor management for statement inconsistencies and reference inconsistencies.


RESULTS
Six DCGP guidelines out of 74 electronically available guidelines had either CVD or CVD risk factors as the subject of the guideline. Eight statement inconsistencies-were found, and for each statement inconsistency, a reference inconsistency was present.


CONCLUSIONS
Given that inconsistencies were found, the authors recommend that organizations that maintain a set of guidelines update the guidelines using a cross-sectional analysis of guidelines. Inconsistencies between guidelines might lead to physicians being unintentionally noncompliant with guideline recommendations.
Department of Medical Informatics, ErasmusMC University Medical Centre Rotterdam, PO Box 1738, 3000DR Rotterdam, the Netherlands. j.vanwyk@erasmusmc.nl
Jacobus T
JT
van Wyk
Marc A M
MA
van Wijk
Peter W
PW
Moorman
Johan
J
van der Lei
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D012307:Risk Factors