Care manager to control cardiovascular risk factors in primary care: the Raffaello cluster randomized trial

Cardiovascular risk and biopsychosocial interplay: Association among hypertension, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation-observational study in primary care setting for efficient self-care

BACKGROUND

Aim of the study was to explore the relationship between emotional dimensions of hypertensive patients and the self-care skills; we tried to draw the psychological aspects could impact the health management in hypertension analyzing the effect of emotional regulation on self-care skills: our scope was to highlight the psychological dynamics into behavioral medicine approach.

METHODS

In an observational study design, patients were collected. Patients with diagnosis of hypertension were recruited in primary care setting. Inclusion criteria included patients older than 18 years, with known and medically treated primary hypertension undergoing antihypertensive medication.

RESULTS

Statistical analysis was carried out based on the data of 28 primary hypertensive patients (seven females, 21 males, mean age ± SD: 49.8 ± 7.8 years mean; clinic blood pressure: mean systolic blood pressure: 137.2 ± 13.1 mmHg, mean diastolic blood pressure: 82.1 ± 9.9 mmHg). Mean duration of hypertension in the sample was 13.1 years (±8.2 years). Correlations among the main variables of interest showed a positive and significant relationship between emotional dysregulation indexes, psychological distress, and self-care domains: awareness resulted negatively and significantly correlated to self-efficacy; nonacceptance, goals and impulse indexes seemed positively and significantly correlated to anxiety and depression; finally, stress was correlated positively and significantly to awareness and impulse.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidencing the role of emotion dysregulation on self-care skills and psychological outcomes, and specifically highlighting the impact of emotion dysregulation on self-care, our findings could inform the development and implementation of psychological interventions aimed at promoting psychological well-being and healthy behavior by focusing on the promotion of emotion regulation strategies, to reduce the risk for co-morbidity and/or severe cardiovascular diseases.

Design of the ZWOT-CASE study: an observational study on the effectiveness of an integrated programme for cardiovascular risk management compared to usual care in general practice

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) contribute considerably to mortality and morbidity. Prevention of CVD by lifestyle change and medication is important and needs full attention. In the Netherlands an integrated programme for cardiovascular risk management (CVRM), based on the Chronic Care Model (CCM), has been introduced in primary care in many regions in recent years, but its effects are unknown. In the ZWOT-CASE study we will assess the effect of integrated care for CVRM in the region of Zwolle on two major cardiovascular risk factors: systolic blood pressure (SBP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) in patients with or at high risk of CVD.

METHODS

This study is a pragmatic observational study comparing integrated care for CVRM with usual care among patients aged 40-80 years with CVD (n = 370) or with a high CVD risk (n = 370) within 26 general practices. After 1 yr follow-up, primary outcomes (SBP and LDL-cholesterol level) are measured. Secondary outcomes include lifestyle habits (smoking, dietary habits, alcohol use, physical activity), risk factor awareness, 10-year risk of cardiovascular morbidity or mortality, health care consumption, patient satisfaction and quality of life.

CONCLUSION

The ZWOT-CASE study will provide insight in the effects of integrated care for CVRM in general practice in patients with CVD or at high CVD risk.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The ZWOlle Transmural Integrated Care for CArdiovaScular Risk Management Study; ClinicalTrials.gov ; Identifier: NCT03428061; date of registration: 09-02-2018; This study has been retrospectively registered.

Risk scoring for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND

The current paradigm for cardiovascular disease (CVD) emphasises absolute risk assessment to guide treatment decisions in primary prevention. Although the derivation and validation of multivariable risk assessment tools, or CVD risk scores, have attracted considerable attention, their effect on clinical outcomes is uncertain.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of evaluating and providing CVD risk scores in adults without prevalent CVD on cardiovascular outcomes, risk factor levels, preventive medication prescribing, and health behaviours.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in the Cochrane Library (2016, Issue 2), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to March week 1 2016), Embase (embase.com) (1974 to 15 March 2016), and Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science (CPCI-S) (1990 to 15 March 2016). We imposed no language restrictions. We searched clinical trial registers in March 2016 and handsearched reference lists of primary studies to identify additional reports.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised and quasi-randomised trials comparing the systematic provision of CVD risk scores by a clinician, healthcare professional, or healthcare system compared with usual care (i.e. no systematic provision of CVD risk scores) in adults without CVD.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Three review authors independently selected studies, extracted data, and evaluated study quality. We used the Cochrane 'Risk of bias' tool to assess study limitations. The primary outcomes were: CVD events, change in CVD risk factor levels (total cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and multivariable CVD risk), and adverse events. Secondary outcomes included: lipid-lowering and antihypertensive medication prescribing in higher-risk people. We calculated risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous data and mean differences (MD) or standardised mean differences (SMD) for continuous data using 95% confidence intervals. We used a fixed-effects model when heterogeneity (I²) was at least 50% and a random-effects model for substantial heterogeneity (I² > 50%). We evaluated the quality of evidence using the GRADE framework.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified 41 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving 194,035 participants from 6422 reports. We assessed studies as having high or unclear risk of bias across multiple domains. Low-quality evidence evidence suggests that providing CVD risk scores may have little or no effect on CVD events compared with usual care (5.4% versus 5.3%; RR 1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.95 to 1.08; I² = 25%; 3 trials, N = 99,070). Providing CVD risk scores may reduce CVD risk factor levels by a small amount compared with usual care. Providing CVD risk scores reduced total cholesterol (MD -0.10 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.20 to 0.00; I² = 94%; 12 trials, N = 20,437, low-quality evidence), systolic blood pressure (MD -2.77 mmHg, 95% CI -4.16 to -1.38; I² = 93%; 16 trials, N = 32,954, low-quality evidence), and multivariable CVD risk (SMD -0.21, 95% CI -0.39 to -0.02; I² = 94%; 9 trials, N = 9549, low-quality evidence). Providing CVD risk scores may reduce adverse events compared with usual care, but results were imprecise (1.9% versus 2.7%; RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.04; I² = 0%; 4 trials, N = 4630, low-quality evidence). Compared with usual care, providing CVD risk scores may increase new or intensified lipid-lowering medications (15.7% versus 10.7%; RR 1.47, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.87; I² = 40%; 11 trials, N = 14,175, low-quality evidence) and increase new or increased antihypertensive medications (17.2% versus 11.4%; RR 1.51, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.11; I² = 53%; 8 trials, N = 13,255, low-quality evidence).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is uncertainty whether current strategies for providing CVD risk scores affect CVD events. Providing CVD risk scores may slightly reduce CVD risk factor levels and may increase preventive medication prescribing in higher-risk people without evidence of harm. There were multiple study limitations in the identified studies and substantial heterogeneity in the interventions, outcomes, and analyses, so readers should interpret results with caution. New models for implementing and evaluating CVD risk scores in adequately powered studies are needed to define the role of applying CVD risk scores in primary CVD prevention.

Interventions to improve adherence to cardiovascular disease guidelines: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Successful management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is impaired by poor adherence to clinical practice guidelines. The objective of our review was to synthesize evidence about the effectiveness of interventions that target healthcare providers to improve adherence to CVD guidelines and patient outcomes.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Web of Science and CINAHL databases from inception to June 2014, using search terms related to adherence and clinical practice guidelines. Studies were limited to randomized controlled trials testing an intervention to improve adherence to guidelines that measured both a patient and adherence outcome. Descriptive summary tables were created from data extractions. Meta-analyses were conducted on clinically homogeneous comparisons, and sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses were carried out where possible. GRADE summary of findings tables were created for each comparison and outcome.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

We included 38 RCTs in our review. Interventions included guideline dissemination, education, audit and feedback, and academic detailing. Meta-analyses were conducted for several outcomes by intervention type. Many comparisons favoured the intervention, though only the adherence outcome for the education intervention showed statistically significant improvement compared to usual care (standardized mean difference = 0.58 [95 % confidence interval 0.35 to 0.8]).

CONCLUSIONS

Many interventions show promise to improve practitioner adherence to CVD guidelines. The quality of evidence and number of trials limited our ability to draw conclusions.