Guideline implementation in a multicenter study with an estimated 44% relative cardiovascular event risk reduction

The extent of cardiovascular risk reduction by implementing coronary prevention guidelines needs to be documented in various population samples.

This is a multicenter study to assess the impact of risk reduction in cardiovascular events upon implementation of coronary prevention guidelines in patients with or at high risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) in the setting of clinical practice.

Enrolled volunteers numbered 2,021. Inclusion criteria postulated a minimum of 20-40% cardiovascular event risk in the subsequent 10 years as estimated from the risk table of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines. The estimated CHD risk reduction was assessed in terms of the Framingham risk scores at baseline and at 12 months, computed from the data of each individual. Data of the compliant group (making up half of the initial participants) at the end of the study, along with absolute and relative risk reductions in the compliant group, were analyzed.

Mean global risk burden was 25.9% at baseline, reduced through multilateral preventive measures in absolute terms by 9.4% at 6 months and by 11.7% at 12 months; the latter represents a relative risk reduction of 44%. Independent variables determining the (enhanced) reduction in risk level at the end of 12 months included (high) level of baseline risk, (high) degree of compliance with treatment, younger age, female gender, smoking, and (high) baseline triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL-C) ratio. While the relative reduction in patients with CHD amounted to 43%, a reduction of 46% (p<0.001) was obtained in the setting of primary prevention. Diabetes emerged as a factor modestly limiting the extent of risk reduction. While subjects without hypertension revealed a decline of coronary risk by merely 8.7%, those with hypertension showed a decline by 12.7% (p<0.001). Risk reductions were accompanied by a decrease of mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level of 25.4%, a rise in mean HDL-C level of 5 mg/dl, a decrease in mean systolic blood pressure of 26 mmHg. Forty-five percent of smokers succeeded in discontinuing the habit.

By implementing standard prevention guidelines in the Turkish population among 1,000 compliant high-risk men and women and among 1,000 patients with CHD, prevention of cardiovascular events could be expected in 117 persons in the subsequent 10 years.