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SURF-COPD: the recording of cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic lung disease
A Dudina1,2, S Lane1, M Butler2
1Respiratory Department, Tallaght Hospital, Belgard Square North, Dublin 24, D24NR0A, Ireland.
Insights
Recording of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is poor, despite CVD being a leading cause of death. Improved documentation and management are needed to address this critical gap.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Cardiology
- Clinical Audit
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the primary cause of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- COPD patients often present with multiple CVD risk factors.
- Current data on the documentation and management of CVD risk factors in COPD patients is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To audit the recording and management of CVD risk factors in 200 COPD patients.
- The audit focused on patients attending respiratory out-patient clinics at two university teaching hospitals.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of hospital records was employed.
- Data collection focused on the documentation of CVD risk factors.
Main Results:
- While a history of risk factors like hypertension and hyperlipidemia was reasonably documented, specific risk factor levels were poorly recorded.
- Blood pressure and heart rate were documented in less than half of the subjects.
- Lipids, waist circumference, HbA1c, and height were largely unrecorded.
Conclusions:
- Development of best practice guidelines and standard operating procedures for CVD risk factor recording and control is essential.
- Addressing CVD risk factors is crucial to reduce mortality in COPD patients.
- Serial audits are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented measures.
Background:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and such patients tend to carry a heavy burden of risk factors for CVD. There is little information on the documentation and management of CVD risk factors in COPD patients.
Aim:
To audit the recording and management of CVD risk factors in 200 COPD patients attending the respiratory out-patient clinics at two University teaching hospitals.
Design:
Retrospective analysis of hospital records.
Results:
While there was reasonable recording of a history of CVD risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidaemia, the actual recording of risk factor levels was poor-blood pressure and heart rate were recorded in less than half of subjects; lipids, waist circumference, HbA1c and height were essentially not recorded at all.
Conclusions:
Best practice guidelines and standard operating procedures for CVD risk factor recording and control require to be developed if the major cause of death in COPD subjects, CVD, is to be addressed. An outline for a standard operating procedure is presented in the Appendix. Serial audits will be required to assess the efficacy of such measures.
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