Management of secondary risk factors in patients with intermittent claudication

OBJECTIVES

The first line management of patients with intermittent claudication is "best medical therapy" i.e., smoking cessation, exercise, antiplatelet therapy and risk factors modification. The aim of this study was to assess the current management of risk factors in primary care and to compare General Practitioner (GP) attitudes and actual management.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Postal questionnaire of all 336 GPs in the referral area (Grampian, Scotland). Questionnaire and measurement of serum cholesterol, blood glucose and HbA1c of new clinic patients (n = 104) with claudication referred by general practitioners.

RESULTS

A 73% GP response rate was obtained. Ninety-five percent of GPs would treat risk factors. The vast majority would prescribe aspirin, yet 28% of patients were on no anti-platelet therapy. Eighty-nine percent of GPs would advise an increase in exercise but only 14% of patients recalled being told to do so. One in seven of the GPs would not check serum cholesterol, 18% considered cholesterol lowering therapy to be primary prevention and 41% would only treat levels above 5.5 mmol/l. Eighty-five percent of patients were on a statin or had a cholesterol above 5 mmol/L. Seventy-seven percent of GPs would check glucose levels, and 14% of patients were found to be previously undiagnosed diabetics.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk factors in claudicants are suboptimally managed. Urgent guidelines for the specific management of claudicants by general practitioners, as well as strategies to ensure their implementation, are required.