An annual, prospective, international study of outpatients with cardiovascular disease or risk factors: design and methods of the CardioMonitor registry.
OBJECTIVE
To assess penetration and patterns of treatments in outpatients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) or risk factors.


METHODS
An international, observational survey of physicians treating outpatients with CVD or risk factors.


METHODS
A unique, diversified group of physicians caring for patients with CVD or risk factors is sampled annually in countries around the world. Participating physicians register up to 15 patients with CVD or risk factors, recording demographics, medical history, clinical data, diagnoses, and medications. The registry has run annually, with different cohorts of physicians and patients each year.


RESULTS
Over 9 years, the CardioMonitor registry has included participation by 18,145 physicians, registering 264,570 patients from 16 countries. Of these, 100,495 (38%) patients had cardiac disease, 26,720 (10%) had cerebrovascular disease, and 21,231 (8%) had peripheral arterial disease (not exclusive diagnoses). The remainder, 139,234 (52.6%) patients did not have clinically significant vascular disease, but had risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia.


CONCLUSIONS
This registry of outpatients with cardiovascular risk factors or disease with detailed medication use recorded offers new insights into trends in current practice of medicine for this large group of patients.
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Benjamin A
BA
Steinberg
Christie M
CM
Ballantyne
Deepak L
DL
Bhatt
Gilles
G
Montalescot
Shamir
S
Mehta
Philip
P
O'Hagan
Philip A
PA
Poole-Wilson
Christopher P
CP
Cannon
D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors