Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 25, 2025

A Novel Digital Platform for a Monitored Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
04:24

A Novel Digital Platform for a Monitored Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

Published on: April 19, 2019

12.2K

Evaluating the use of the heart age tool in community pharmacies: a 4-week cluster-randomized controlled trial

Karianne Svendsen1,2, David R Jacobs3, Lisa T Mørch-Reiersen4

  • 1Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

European Journal of Public Health
|March 25, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Using a

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular disease risk assessment and communication.
  • Public health interventions in community pharmacy settings.
  • Biomarker analysis for lifestyle changes.

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality globally.
  • Effective communication of CVD risk is crucial for motivating lifestyle changes.
  • The 'heart age' tool estimates an individual's CVD risk based on risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate if 'heart age' communication enhances motivation for healthier lifestyles.
  • To assess the impact of 'heart age' on whole-blood cholesterol and omega-3 status.
  • To explore pharmacy staff perceptions of the 'heart age' tool's utility.

Main Methods:

  • Cluster-randomized trial in 48 community pharmacies.
  • Intervention group received 'heart age' plus conventional risk communication.
  • Control group received conventional risk communication only.
  • Whole-blood cholesterol and omega-3 fatty acids measured via dried blood spots at baseline and 4 weeks.
  • Pharmacy staff surveyed on perceived utility of the 'heart age' tool.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in cholesterol reduction between intervention and control groups.
  • Omega-3 fatty acid concentrations increased similarly in both groups after 4 weeks.
  • Pharmacy staff found the 'heart age' tool convenient and motivating for communicating CVD risk.

Conclusions:

  • While perceived as a motivating tool by pharmacy staff, 'heart age' communication did not improve cholesterol or omega-3 status more than conventional methods.
  • Further research may be needed to optimize the use of 'heart age' for clinical outcomes.
  • Community pharmacies can play a role in CVD risk communication, but the added value of 'heart age' requires further investigation.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Testing the Efficacy of Pharmacological Agents in a Pericardial Target Delivery Model in the Swine10:05

Testing the Efficacy of Pharmacological Agents in a Pericardial Target Delivery Model in the Swine

Published on: July 7, 2016

8.8K
Contractions of Human-iPSC-derived Cardiomyocyte Syncytia Measured with a Ca-sensitive Fluorescent Dye in Temperature-controlled 384-well Plates07:42

Contractions of Human-iPSC-derived Cardiomyocyte Syncytia Measured with a Ca-sensitive Fluorescent Dye in Temperature-controlled 384-well Plates

Published on: October 18, 2018

6.6K

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution01:00

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the human body is influenced by several factors, including plasma protein concentration, body composition, blood flow, tissue-protein concentration, and tissue fluid pH. Among these, changes in plasma protein concentration and body composition due to aging significantly affect how drugs are distributed within the body. Specifically, aging is associated with a decrease in albumin levels by about 10% and an increase in α1-acid glycoprotein levels. These alterations are...
146
Heart Failure IV: Classification and Diagnostic Evaluation01:30

Heart Failure IV: Classification and Diagnostic Evaluation

Heart failure can be classified in various ways, with the most common classifications based on physical activity limitations, disease progression, severity, and treatment strategies.The Functional Classification of Heart Failure divides patients into four categories based on physical activity limitation due to symptom burden.Class I: Patients in this class have cardiac disease but no physical activity limitations. Ordinary activities like walking, climbing stairs, or routine tasks do not cause...
244
Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age01:27

Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
141
Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(two-step method)01:23

Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(two-step method)

Measuring blood pressure is a fundamental skill in healthcare that aids in diagnosing and monitoring hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions. An aneroid sphygmomanometer, commonly used in clinical settings, offers a manual and precise method for blood pressure measurement. The technique for using this instrument involves specific steps that must be carefully executed to ensure accuracy. The following detailed description outlines a two-step technique for assessing blood pressure using...
1.4K
Coronary Artery Disease IV: Preventive Measures01:26

Coronary Artery Disease IV: Preventive Measures

Effective preventive measures for coronary artery disease (CAD) focus on controlling modifiable risk factors, including cholesterol abnormalities and lifestyle changes.Cholesterol ManagementFirst, the Mediterranean diet and the American Heart Association advocate for maintaining low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels below 100 mg/dL, with a more stringent recommendation of below 70 mg/dL for individuals at high risk. LDL cholesterol, often termed "bad cholesterol," can lead to the...
537
Heart Failure Drugs: β-Blockers01:22

Heart Failure Drugs: β-Blockers

β-adrenergic antagonists, commonly known as β-blockers, block the effects of sympathetic neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (ADR). They have several beneficial effects in heart failure treatment. They reduce heart rate, the force of contraction, and cardiac muscle relaxation. They also slow the atrial-ventricular conduction rate and raise the threshold for arrhythmias. The concentration of β-blockers determines their effects on bronchodilation,...
681