[Life-habit intervention in a public institution].
BACKGROUND
Coronary disease is the major worldwide cause of death, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the second in Brazil. Sudden death occurs 4 to 6 times more frequently in those who have suffered an acute myocardial infarction (AMI); within 6 years, 18% of the men and 35% of the women will have a new AMI. The secondary prevention, of which effectiveness has been previously demonstrated, is of utmost importance.


OBJECTIVE
To test the effectiveness of a multiprofessional program that aims at modifying risk factors for atherosclerosis in the public health system.


METHODS
Of the 2,337 patients with coronary artery disease undergoing outpatient treatment, 513 with a coronary angiography study agreed to participate in the present study, which used lectures on how and why to control risk factors as therapeutic tool.


METHODS
significant variation pre and post-intervention; paired Student's t test or Wilcoxon's test ; existence of a significant difference between the two groups; Student's t test for independent samples or Mann-Whitney test. Comparison among three groups: analysis of variance (ANOVA) or Kruskal-Wallis.


RESULTS
Cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, body mass index, Castelli indexes I and II and waist circumference showed a significant decrease, even in patients without hypolipemiant treatment. The assessment of the diet impact showed that 72% of the patients that did not follow a diet, started to do so. Physical activity: of the 55% sedentary patients, 71% started to exercise three or more times a week. Smoking: of the smokers, 60% (9% of the total) stopped smoking and 32% decreased the number of cigarettes.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrated the effectiveness of the programs to improve life habits when applied to the units of the public health system. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2010; [online]. ahead print, PP.0-0).
Scherr
Carlos
C
Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. cscherr@cardiol.br
Cunha
Ademir Batista da
AB
Magalhães
Chyntia Karla
CK
Abitibol
Rafael Aron
RA
Barros
Marcelo
M
Cordovil
Ivan
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002784:Cholesterol