Heartwatch: the effect of a primary care-delivered secondary prevention programme for cardiovascular disease on medication use and risk factor profiles.
BACKGROUND
Heartwatch is a secondary prevention programme of coronary heart disease (CHD) in primary care in Ireland. The aim was to further examine the effect of the Heartwatch programme on cardiovascular risk factors and treatments of patients with a follow-up of 3.5 years.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study of 12,358 patients with established CHD (myocardial infarction, percutaneous cardiac intervention, coronary artery bypass graft) recruited by participating general practitioners; patients invited to attend on a quarterly basis, with continuing care implemented according to defined clinical protocols.


METHODS
Changes in risk factors and treatments at 1, 2, 3 and 3.5-year follow-up from baseline were made using paired t-test for continuous and McNemar's test for categorical data.


RESULTS
Important changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and smoking status were observed at 1, 2, 3 and 3.5 years (P < 0.0001) with significant increase in proportions of patients within the target. However, changes in body mass index were small, with no significant improvement in waist circumference. There was a significant increase in prescription of secondary preventive medications and good patient compliance. Males were more likely to be within the target for systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, waist circumference and exercise level at 3.5 years, but less likely for body mass index.


CONCLUSIONS
Studies of cardiac rehabilitation without any follow-up programmes show that over time patients revert in part to previous lifestyle habits; this primary care-delivered programme has shown sustained improvements in major risk factors, particularly smoking, blood pressure and cholesterol, and treatments for CHD. Weight management presents a greater challenge.
Fitzpatrick
Patricia
P
School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin, Ireland. patricia.fitzpatrick@ucd.ie
Fitz-Simon
Nicola
N
Lonergan
Moira
M
Collins
Claire
C
Daly
Leslie
L
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011320:Primary Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055105:Waist Circumference
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol