Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in a primary care setting

This study was designed to investigate primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in a primary care setting in Jordan.

Adult patients without clinical cardiovascular disease who attended a primary care setting were interviewed and their medical files were reviewed. Data collected to assess primary prevention of cardiovascular disease included lifestyle/risk factor screening, weight assessment, blood pressure measurement and control, and blood lipid measurement and control.

A total of 224 patients were interviewed. The proportions of patients' files with risk factors documentation were 37.9% for smoking status, 30.4% for physical activity assessment and 72.8% for blood pressure assessment. The majority of hypertensive patients (95.9%) had a blood pressure reading at their most recent visit of ⩽ 140/90 or was prescribed ⩾ 2 antihypertensive medications.

Documentation of cardiovascular disease risk factors was suboptimal. Healthcare providers should be encouraged to document and assess cardiovascular risk factors to improve primary prevention.