title: [Clinical features, care pathways and behaviors of patients with high level of cardiovascular risk: transversal study in south-west region of France].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To screen and to follow-up the patients with high cardiovascular risk in general practice may amplify the decrease of the cardiovascular morbi-mortality observed since a few years. The objective of this study is to identify the patients with high cardiovascular risk and to describe the management of these patients by general practitioners in Aquitaine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transversal study of a sample of patients from 18 to 70 years old with high cardiovascular risk (combining at least 3 factors), included by voluntary general practitioners (GP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-seven GP included 102 patients, presenting on average 3.7 risk factors among which 2.6 modifiable. The target values were reached for 59 % of patients with high blood pressure, 56 % of patients with diabetes and 53 % of patients with high cholesterol level. The analysis of care pathways identified the cardiologist as the privileged interlocutor. The doctors thought that seven patients out of 10 could change their risk behaviors. For the patients, the scale of declared importance to change was 6.6 on 10 for tobacco, 6.0 for food habits and 6.2 for physical activity. The confidence in their capacity to change was 3.8 on 10 for the tobacco, 5.2 for the food habits and 4.7 for the physical activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although doctors' sample is not representative, these results give an original overview of the management of patients with high cardiovascular risk and their care pathways. Medical treatments were globally in accordance with guidelines. The difficulty to change risk behaviors illustrates the necessity of patient therapeutic education.
authors: Université Bordeaux-Segalen, département de médecine générale, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Maison de santé rurale, 33190 La Réole, France. Electronic address: bernard.gay@u-bordeaux2.fr.
authors: Bernard
authors: B
authors: Gay
authors: Thierry
authors: T
authors: Couffinhal
authors: Florence
authors: F
authors: Saillour-Glénisson
authors: Floriane
authors: F
authors: Sevin
authors: Marion
authors: M
authors: Kret
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Michel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019091:Critical Pathways; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D058006:General Practice; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000628:therapy; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents