title: [Cardiovascular Risk Assessment: preliminary results].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Italian National Prevention plan includes 10-year cardiovascular risk (CR) assessment of the Italian general population aged 35-69 years using the CUORE Project risk score. A national training program for general practitioners (GPs) was launched by the Ministry of Health in 2003. GPs were encouraged to collect data on risk factors and risk assessment and to contribute to the CUORE Project Cardiovascular Risk Observatory (CRO). The aim of this analysis is to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of risk assessment in primary care.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cuore.exe software, free of charge for GPs and easily downloadable from the CUORE Project web site (www.cuore.iss.it), is the frame for the GP data collection. The CRO provides a platform to analyze data collected on risk assessment and risk factors, and compare results at regional and national level in order to support health policy makers in their decision process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From January 2007 to April 2009, 2858 GPs have downloaded the cuore.exe software; 102,113 risk assessments were sent to the CRO based on risk factors profile of 87,556 persons (3617 persons had more than 1 risk assessment). Mean level of CR was 3.1% in women and 8.4% in men; 30% of men and 65% of women were at low risk (CR < 3%), 9% of men and 0.4% of women were found at high risk (CR > or = 20%). Among those with at least 2 risk assessments, 8% shifted to a lower class of risk after 1 year. Mean level of systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased by about 1% in 1 year; total cholesterol more than 2%, and prevalence of smokers decreased by about 3% in the second risk assessment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate that risk assessment can be included as a first step of prevention in primary care. The CUORE Project individual score is expected to become an important tool for GPs to assess their patients' CR, to promote primary prevention, and to focus attention to healthy lifestyle adoption.
authors.affiliation: Centro Nazionale di Epidemiologia, Sorveglianza e Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma. luigi.palmieri@iss.it
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rielli
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Demattè
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donfrancesco
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: La Terza
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Sanctis Caiola
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dima
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lo Noce
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Giannelli
authors.forename: Ovidio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brignoli
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuffari
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Rosa
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Addis
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laurendi
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giampaoli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors