Effectiveness of the Heart Age tool for improving modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in a Southern European population: a randomized trial.
OBJECTIVE
To test whether communicating cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk using a novel risk assessment tool (Heart Age) will be able to motivate a population to adopt healthier lifestyles and improve CVD risk profile over the use of a traditional percentage-based tool.


METHODS
A single-blind randomized intervention study was carried out in a Caucasian population. A total of 3153 subjects were randomly allocated to one of three study groups: control (conventional medical advice was given to the subjects), Framingham REGICOR (10-year percentage risk score, calibrated to Spanish population was given to the subjects), or Heart Age group (Heart Age tool was administered to the subjects). Anthropometrical and metabolic parameters were measured and lifestyle habits were recorded at recruitment and 12-months post intervention.


RESULTS
Both the Framingham REGICOR and the Heart Age intervention groups demonstrated significant decreases in their risk scores at post intervention compared to the control group, with the improvement being of a greater magnitude in the Heart Age group. No differences per gender were observed in the Heart Age group.


CONCLUSIONS
Informing patients about their CVD risk expressed as the new Heart Age tool results in a reduction in their CVD risk higher than the one observed when the Framingham REGICOR risk score was used.
Prevention of Occupational Risks in Health Services, GESMA, Balearic Islands Health Service, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Angel A
AA
Lopez-Gonzalez
Research Group on Evidence, Lifestyles & Health, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Antoni
A
Aguilo
Research Group on Evidence, Lifestyles & Health, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Margalida
M
Frontera
Research Group on Evidence, Lifestyles & Health, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Miquel
M
Bennasar-Veny
Prevention of Occupational Risks in Health Services, GESMA, Balearic Islands Health Service, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Irene
I
Campos
Prevention of Occupational Risks, Correos, Valencia, Spain.
Teofila
T
Vicente-Herrero
Prevention of Occupational Risks, Balearic Islands Government, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Matias
M
Tomas-Salva
Research Group on Evidence, Lifestyles & Health, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Joan
J
De Pedro-Gomez
Research Group on Evidence, Lifestyles & Health, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain pedro.tauler@uib.es.
Pedro
P
Tauler
D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D003142:Communication; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*
Cardiovascular disease; gender; heart age; prevention; risk communication; risk factors